Alphabet ( GOOGL -2.65%) ( GOOG -2.71%), Google's parent company, has been invested in quantum computing for years, but it recently made an advancement that positioned it as a standout company in the space. Alphabet introduced Willow, a new quantum computing processor it believes is a big step forward.

The processor uses qubits that can be measured without error and are resistant to outside interference, which the company says marks a “transformative leap toward practical quantum computing.”

The tech giant joins Google and IBM in predicting that a fundamental change in computing technology is much closer than recently believed. Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled a new chip that it said showed quantum computing is “years,