University of Kwazulu-Natal

Quantum Computing Moves From Theoretical To Inevitable

Bonisiwe Shabane
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quantum computing moves from theoretical to inevitable

Quantum will likely become part of a mosaic, working with classical computing to solve big problems. By Gabe Dunn, Velu Sinha, Laurent-Pierre Baculard, Syed Ali, and Willy Chang This article is part of Bain’s Technology Report 2025 Over the past two years, quantum computing has moved closer to practical, real-world applications. Breakthroughs in fidelity, error correction, and scaling qubits (the basic units of quantum computing, like the 0’s and 1’s bits in classical computing) across platforms signal that it’s not a question of if but... Investment is following suit.

Tech giants like Alphabet, IBM, and Microsoft are doubling down, while governments are scaling national quantum strategies. And it’s not just computing: Quantum sensing, communication, and annealing (a technique for solving optimization problems) are already at work. 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. AI can help discover new materials, but we’ll need quantum computers to really move the needle. On January 8, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang jolted the stock market by saying that practical quantum computing is still 15 to 30 years away, at the same time suggesting those computers will need Nvidia...

However, history shows that brilliant people are not immune to making mistakes. Huang’s predictions miss the mark, both on the timeline for useful quantum computing and on the role his company’s technology will play in that future. I’ve been closely following developments in quantum computing as an investor, and it’s clear to me that it is rapidly converging on utility. Last year, Google’s Willow device demonstrated that there is a promising pathway to scaling up to bigger and bigger computers. It showed that errors can be reduced exponentially as the number of quantum bits, or qubits, increases. It also ran a benchmark test in under five minutes that would take one of today’s fastest supercomputers 10 septillion years.

While too small to be commercially useful with known algorithms, Willow shows that quantum supremacy (executing a task that is effectively impossible for any classical computer to handle in a reasonable amount of time)... For example, PsiQuantum, a startup my company is invested in, is set to break ground on two quantum computers that will enter commercial service before the end of this decade. The plan is for each one to be 10 thousand times the size of Willow, big enough to tackle important questions about materials, drugs, and the quantum aspects of nature. These computers will not use GPUs to implement error correction. Rather, they will have custom hardware, operating at speeds that would be impossible with Nvidia hardware. 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. Prediction: The Quantum Computing Conversation Will Move Decisively from "If" to "When," Driving a Strategic Focus on Practical Milestones and Accelerated Adoption Timelines To read the full list of our 2025 predictions, visit here.

Prediction: The Quantum Computing Conversation Will Move Decisively from "If" to "When," Driving a Strategic Focus on Practical Milestones and Accelerated Adoption Timelines To read the full list of our 2025 predictions, visit here. Case Study: Optimizing Network Resilience with Quantum Computing - A Collaboration between Cinfo, QuEra, and Kipu Quantum For nearly a century, classical computing has fueled human progress. From the punch cards of the 1940s to the smartphones in our pockets, we’ve ridden the exponential wave of Moore’s Law—a doubling of transistor density every two years. But even the most intricate silicon chip, packed with billions of transistors, is running up against the limits of physics.

At the smallest scales, classical logic starts to wobble. Electrons tunnel through barriers. Heat becomes unmanageable. The world of bits begins to look… too simple. Nature, it turns out, doesn’t run on binary alone. At the subatomic level, reality doesn’t behave like a spreadsheet.

It dances. It flickers between states. It interferes with itself. It gets entangled. This is the world of quantum mechanics, and for decades it has both bewildered and inspired physicists. But now, out of the cloud of equations and paradoxes, something tangible is emerging—a machine built not just to simulate nature, but to embody it.

Quantum computing is not just a faster calculator. It’s an entirely new way of thinking, one that mirrors the deepest truths of the universe. And as we stand at the edge of this frontier, the implications are nothing short of revolutionary. To understand what makes a quantum computer different, we must first unlearn the tidy world of ones and zeroes. In a classical computer, every piece of information is encoded in bits—tiny switches that are either on (1) or off (0). These bits are strung together into longer sequences that represent letters, images, sound, software, and everything else in the digital age.

Memon, Q.A.; Al Ahmad, M.; Pecht, M. Quantum Computing: Navigating the Future of Computation, Challenges, and Technological Breakthroughs. Quantum Rep. 2024, 6, 627-663. https://doi.org/10.3390/quantum6040039 Memon QA, Al Ahmad M, Pecht M.

Quantum Computing: Navigating the Future of Computation, Challenges, and Technological Breakthroughs. Quantum Reports. 2024; 6(4):627-663. https://doi.org/10.3390/quantum6040039 Memon, Qurban A., Mahmoud Al Ahmad, and Michael Pecht. 2024.

"Quantum Computing: Navigating the Future of Computation, Challenges, and Technological Breakthroughs" Quantum Reports 6, no. 4: 627-663. https://doi.org/10.3390/quantum6040039 Memon, Q. A., Al Ahmad, M., & Pecht, M. (2024).

Quantum Computing: Navigating the Future of Computation, Challenges, and Technological Breakthroughs. Quantum Reports, 6(4), 627-663. https://doi.org/10.3390/quantum6040039

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