Quantum Computing Made Measurable Progress Toward Real World Use In 20

At the Q2B Silicon Valley conference, scientific and business leaders of the quantum computing industry hailed "spectacular" progress being made towards practical devices – but said that challenges remain Practical quantum computers are moving closer to reality Fully practical quantum computers haven’t arrived yet, but the quantum computing industry is ending the year on an optimistic note. At the Q2B Silicon Valley conference in December, which brings together quantum business and science experts, the consensus seemed to be that the future of quantum computing is only getting brighter. “On balance, we think it is more likely than not that someone, or maybe multiple someones, are going to be able to make a really industrially useful quantum computer, which is not something I... The goal of QBI is to determine which of the several currently competing approaches for building quantum computers can produce a useful device, which would also have to correct its own errors, or be...

The programme will run for several years and involve hundreds of expert evaluators. Taking stock of the programme after its first six months, Altepeter said the team identified “huge obstacles” in the way of each of the approaches, but he also expressed surprise that this didn’t disqualify... Quantum technology in 2025 transitioned from research to practical industry applications, driving measurable business value. Hybrid quantum-classical solutions, quantum sensing, and quantum-safe cryptography are enabling domain-specific, real-world optimizations. Investment and enterprise adoption surged, signaling 2025 as a turning point for commercial quantum technology. What was once a niche scientific curiosity is now delivering measurable value.

In 2025, quantum technology made a leap from lab benches to industry boardrooms and production lines. Companies report quantum-inspired gains in telecom networks, logistics optimization, AI-hybrid systems, and sensing technologies. With major players aligning hardware roadmaps, enterprise pilots scaling up, and investment flooding the ecosystem, this year has undoubtedly earned the label of the ‘real-world quantum’ inflection point. When it comes to quantum technology (QT), investment is surging and breakthroughs are multiplying. The United Nations has designated 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, celebrating 100 years since the initial development of quantum mechanics. Our research confirms that QT is gaining widespread traction worldwide.

McKinsey’s fourth annual Quantum Technology Monitor covers last year’s breakthroughs, investment trends, and emerging opportunities in this fast-evolving landscape. In 2024, the QT industry saw a shift from growing quantum bits (qubits) to stabilizing qubits—and that marks a turning point. It signals to mission-critical industries that QT could soon become a safe and reliable component of their technology infrastructure. To that end, this year’s report provides a special deep dive into the fast-growing market of quantum communication, which could unlock the security needed for widespread QT uptake. Quantum technology encompasses three subfields: Our new research shows that the three core pillars of QT—quantum computing, quantum communication, and quantum sensing—could together generate up to $97 billion in revenue worldwide by 2035.

Quantum computing will capture the bulk of that revenue, growing from $4 billion in revenue in 2024 to as much as $72 billion in 2035 (see sidebar “What is quantum technology?”). While QT will affect many industries, the chemicals, life sciences, finance, and mobility industries will see the most growth. McKinsey initiated its annual quantum technology report in 2021 to track the rapidly evolving quantum technology landscape. We analyze three principal areas of the field: quantum computing, quantum communication, and quantum sensing. The analysis is based on input from various sources, including publicly available data, expert interviews, and proprietary McKinsey analyses. The conclusions and estimations have been cross-checked across market databases and validated through investor reports, press releases, and expert input.

Because not all deal values are publicly disclosed and databases are updated continuously, our research does not provide a definitive or exhaustive list of start-ups, funding activities, investment splits, or patents and publications. Governments and tech companies continue to pour money into quantum technology in the hopes of building a supercomputer that can work at speeds we can't yet fathom to solve big problems. Imagine a computer that could solve incredibly complex problems at a speed we can't yet fathom and bring about breakthroughs in fields like drug development or clean energy. That is widely considered the promise of quantum computing. In 2025, tech companies poured money into this field. The Trump administration also named quantum computing as a priority.

But when will this technology actually deliver something useful for regular people? NPR's Katia Riddle reports on the difference between quantum hype and quantum reality. KATIA RIDDLE, BYLINE: Tech companies like Google and Microsoft, as well as the U.S. government, bet big on quantum computing in 2025. UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Google Quantum AI is unveiling the first demonstration of verifiable quantum advantage. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Joining forces on quantum computing.

Credit: Bartlomiej K. Wroblewski / Shutterstock The “Quantum Index Report” is a comprehensive assessment of the technology and the global landscape, from patents to the quantum workforce. Quantum computing is evolving into a tangible technology that holds significant business and commercial promise, although the exact timing of when it will impact those areas remains unclear, according to a new report led... The “Quantum Index Report 2025” charts the technology’s momentum, with a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of the state of quantum technologies. The inaugural report aims to make quantum computing and networking technologies more accessible to entrepreneurs, investors, teachers, and business decision makers — all of whom will play a critical role in how quantum computing...

Comparison of zero-level distillation (right) and logical-level distillation (left). Credit: PRX Quantum (2025). DOI: 10.1103/thxx-njr6 For decades, the idea of quantum computing has sat tantalizingly on the horizon—promising a future where calculations that might take today’s supercomputers centuries could be solved in seconds. It’s a vision powered not by science fiction, but by the eerie principles of quantum mechanics: particles that can exist in multiple states at once, and become mysteriously linked across space. But there’s always been a catch.

Quantum computers are notoriously fragile. A whisper of heat, a stray photon, even cosmic background noise can throw them into chaos. Now, researchers at the University of Osaka may have solved one of the thorniest obstacles on the road to practical quantum machines—with a little bit of what they call “magic.” Published in PRX Quantum, the study introduces a new, radically efficient technique for preparing “magic states”—a foundational requirement for error-resistant quantum computation. Their approach could slash resource demands by dozens of times, removing a major bottleneck in building scalable, fault-tolerant quantum systems. It’s a quiet revolution, and it might just reshape the future of computation.

New machines will use individual atoms as qubits The goal of the quantum-computing industry is to build a powerful, functional machine capable of solving large-scale problems in science and industry that classical computing can’t solve. We won’t get there in 2026. In fact, scientists have been working toward that goal since at least the 1980s, and it has proved difficult, to say the least. “If someone says quantum computers are commercially useful today, I say I want to have what they’re having,” said Yuval Boger, chief commercial officer of the quantum-computing startup QuEra, on stage at the Q+AI... This article is part of our special report Top Tech 2026.

Because the goal is so lofty, tracking its progress has also been difficult. To help chart a course toward truly transformative quantum technology and mark milestones along the path, the team at Microsoft Quantum has come up with a new framework.

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