What Is Quantum Supremacy How It Will Transform Industries In 2025

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Jan 2, 2026, 2:08 PM

what is quantum supremacy how it will transform industries in 2025

In 2019, Google’s quantum computer Sycamore performed a calculation in 200 seconds that would take the world’s most powerful supercomputer 10,000 years to complete. This groundbreaking achievement marked the beginning of Quantum Supremacy—a point where quantum computers surpass classical computers in solving complex problems exponentially faster. But what does Quantum Supremacy really mean, and how will it reshape industries in 2025? As we stand on the edge of a technological revolution, understanding Quantum Supremacy is crucial for businesses, researchers, and governments. In this deep-dive, we explore:✅ What Quantum Supremacy is and how it works✅ How Quantum Computing differs from classical computing✅ The real-world industries that will be transformed by 2025✅ Challenges and ethical concerns of... Quantum Supremacy refers to the moment when a quantum computer performs a task that is impossible for even the most powerful classical supercomputer.

💡 Key Principles Behind Quantum Computing: Quantum computing is no longer a distant promise—it’s making tangible waves across industries in 2025. As the technology matures, companies, governments, and research institutions are shifting from theory to action, deploying quantum solutions that tackle some of the world’s most complex challenges. Here’s how the quantum surge is reshaping sectors, with real-world examples and sources to back it up. The integration of quantum processors with classical high-performance computing (HPC) is unlocking new frontiers in optimization, simulation, and machine learning. This hybrid approach is now a commercial reality, not just a research aspiration.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Quantum Brilliance partnered in 2024 to advance hybrid quantum-classical computing, leveraging diamond-based quantum accelerators alongside traditional supercomputers. This collaboration aims to boost performance for scientific simulations and industrial optimization, marking a pivotal shift from lab prototypes to operational deployments (The Quantum Insider). Error correction remains the linchpin for scaling quantum computers. In 2025, more organizations are experimenting with logical qubits and advanced error correction schemes, moving quantum systems closer to fault tolerance. IBM’s 1,121-qubit “Condor” processor, launched in late 2024, incorporates advanced error correction protocols, enabling longer and more complex computations. This breakthrough is already being used by research partners in chemistry and materials science to simulate molecular interactions previously out of reach (Moody’s).

A Rigetti quantum computer displayed at the Nvidia GTC in October. Step aside, artificial intelligence. Another transformative technology with the potential to reshape industries and reorder geopolitical power is finally moving out of the lab: quantum. The United Nations dubbed 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. It’s been marked by a flurry of announcements — and a mountain of hype — around a mind-boggling field of science long dismissed as perpetually a decade away from usefulness. But that’s how people talked about AI, too, before ChatGPT spurred the current global arms race and investor euphoria.

The quantum computing industry is reaching a historic turning point in 2025. In October, IBM’s New York headquarters announced the launch of commercial services for its 1,121-qubit ‘Condor’ processor. Following this, Google’s California headquarters announced in early December that its new quantum chip ‘Willow’ completed calculations in 5 minutes that would take 10^25 years on a conventional supercomputer, reaffirming its achievement of Quantum... With these technological breakthroughs, the global quantum computing market is projected to grow from $1.3 billion in 2024 to $5 billion by 2030, with an average annual growth rate of 25%. Governments and companies worldwide are fiercely competing to secure dominance in the next-generation computing paradigm. In particular, according to the ‘Quantum Science and Technology Development Strategy’ announced by the South Korean government in August, a budget of 1 trillion won will be invested over the next decade with the...

This is seen as a strategic response to the U.S.’s National Quantum Initiative (NQI) with a $1.2 billion investment and China’s $15 billion quantum investment plan. The Quantum Computing Research Center, jointly operated by KAIST and Seoul National University, has successfully developed a 20-qubit superconducting quantum processor and aims to achieve 100 qubits by 2026. In the industry, Samsung Electronics is taking the most proactive steps. Samsung Electronics, headquartered in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, signed an agreement in September to establish a joint quantum computing research center with the University of Chicago in the U.S., and has formalized its entry into... Samsung’s foundry division plans to start contract manufacturing of quantum chips for IBM and Google from the third quarter of 2025, expecting to generate $500 million in new annual revenue. The core of quantum computing technology lies in the quantum information unit called a qubit.

Unlike classical computer bits, which can only have values of 0 or 1, qubits can represent both 0 and 1 simultaneously due to the superposition principle of quantum mechanics, exponentially increasing parallel computation capabilities. For instance, a 300-qubit quantum computer can process 2^300 states simultaneously, more than the number of atoms in the universe. However, qubits are extremely unstable and only operate in ultra-cold environments at absolute zero 0.01K (-273.14°C), with high error rates due to external interference, posing significant challenges to practical application. To overcome these technical limitations, major companies are adopting different approaches. IBM has chosen superconducting qubits, focusing on stability, and announced success in implementing logical qubits through quantum error correction technology. Meanwhile, Google is investing in both superconducting and photonic (photon-based) quantum computing research, exploring the potential for developing quantum computers that operate at room temperature.

Microsoft is attempting to develop fundamentally error-resistant quantum computers through an innovative approach called topological qubits. A quantum device manufacturing facility in California. Image: Reuters Picture a world where computers can solve problems in seconds that would take today's most powerful supercomputers thousands of years. The quantum economy is not just a distant dream – it's unfolding right now, offering unprecedented opportunities for those ready to seize them. To harness this potential, business leaders must strategically position their organizations at the forefront of this revolutionary wave, driving growth, innovation and competitive advantage.

Embracing the Quantum Economy – A Pathway for Business Leaders, a new World Economic Forum report in collaboration with Accenture, explores the advancements in quantum computing, sensing and communication, discusses their impact on various... Quantum technologies are unlocking new capabilities in computing, sensing and communications that promise to revolutionize numerous industries, including energy, aerospace, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and many others. As quantum technologies progress beyond their developmental stages, their impact on the energy sector, for instance, could be profound. With the ability to optimize complex systems, quantum computing offers the potential to improve grid management and facilitate the integration of renewable energy sources, enhancing both efficiency and sustainability. In the pharmaceutical industry, quantum computing could transform drug development, particularly in early-stage discovery, by enabling highly precise physical simulations that accelerate breakthroughs and reduce costs. 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. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean we’re suddenly living in the quantum era. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link.

Why Trust Us? Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story: Spend an afternoon reading about quantum computing, and it won’t take long until you stumble across the term “quantum supremacy.” While this is quite a lofty-sounding boast, the idea is relatively simple: If a... Google first tried to claim the supremacy crown back in 2019, and researchers in China argued the same a year later. But in both cases, experts weren’t so sure if true supremacy had been achieved. In Google’s case, its Sycamore quantum computer completed a task in three minutes and 20 seconds that the company said would take a classical computer 10,000 years to complete.

In 2025, governments and technology companies continue to invest heavily in quantum computing, motivated by the vision of building machines capable of processing problems far beyond the reach of classical computers. From drug development to clean energy optimization, the promise of quantum computing lies in solving complex, multi-dimensional problems at unprecedented speeds. Tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and IBM, as well as governmental initiatives, are channeling significant resources into quantum hardware and algorithm research. Yet, while the progress is impressive, practical, everyday applications for the general public remain elusive. The challenge lies in the inherent complexity of quantum mechanics. Unlike traditional computers operating in binary states, quantum computers leverage qubits, which exist in superposition—a combination of multiple states simultaneously.

This ability to represent a range of possibilities enables quantum computers to simulate complex natural processes more effectively than classical machines. To understand the power of quantum computing, one must grasp the principle of superposition. Classical computers process information in a binary fashion—zeroes and ones, on and off. In contrast, qubits can represent zero and one simultaneously, existing in a probabilistic state until measured. This characteristic allows quantum computers to evaluate multiple solutions concurrently, simulating complex molecular interactions and probabilistic systems found in nature. Educators like Dominic Walliman have used simplified analogies to illustrate this concept: envisioning a particle spinning in both directions at once, creating a cloud of probabilities rather than a fixed state.

This visualization underscores why quantum systems have the theoretical potential to outperform classical systems in certain computations, especially those involving intricate variables, such as chemical reactions or material simulations. One of the landmark milestones in quantum computing is quantum supremacy, a term describing when a quantum computer performs a calculation that a classical computer cannot complete in a feasible time frame. Google achieved this in 2019 with its Sycamore processor, which solved a complex random circuit sampling benchmark in minutes—a task that would take the world’s fastest classical supercomputer thousands of years.

What Is Quantum Supremacy How It Will Transform Industries In 2025

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