Microsoft says it has developed a breakthrough quantum processor based on a new state of matter, giving it a clear path to achieve quantum computing’s long-term promise of solving some of the world’s most difficult problems.

Microsoft Corp. announced its first quantum computing chip, a major step in the company’s effort to produce devices that might someday solve problems beyond the reach of modern computers.

Traditional quantum computing needs intricate and cumbersome procedures to control each and every qubit. However, with Microsoft’s approach, manipulating a qubit is as simple as flipping a light switch using simple voltage pulses. This marks a paradigm shift in how quantum systems are designed and scaled.