already; as early as
Expresses that something has happened sooner than expected or at an early stage. Often used with a nuance of surprise.
The cherry blossoms have already started blooming.
at the earliest; at the soonest
Used when indicating the earliest possible time something can happen. Often appears in contexts like schedules or deadlines.
He finished the work as early as that.
The results will be out at the earliest next week.