McKinsey & Company predicts that quantum computing could be worth $28 billion to $72 billion.
There has been a more-than-expected increase in investments and developments of the technology, with the ecosystem growing by more than 50% year-on-year for investments from 2024 to 2025 and a 19% increase over the same period in public funding (McKinsey & Company).
Since the focus shifted from growing quantum bits (qubits) to stabilising qubits, the market has exploded.
Read on to find out more.
An Introduction to Quantum Computing
Quantum computing uses the principles of quantum mechanics to make advanced calculations and solve complex problems.
It can be divided into 3 subcategories:
- Using the laws of quantum mechanics to improve applications or to enable new applications beyond anything classic computing technology could ever achieve.
- Quantum communication securely transfers quantum information across communication lines to improve communication security.
- Quantum sensing is a new generation of technology using sensors to provide measurements such as gravity, time or electromagnetic fields that are far more sensitive than traditional sensors.
It’s a highly complex, expensive technology that’s quickly becoming the future of technology. Unlike standard computing that uses a binary system of 0s and 1s, quantum computing uses atoms and subatomic particles to solve problems.
Quantum Emulators
A big part of quantum computers is the quantum emulators that take the software and hardware from classic computer technology and simulate their behaviour on quantum computers and systems to perform quantum algorithms. One example is the OVHcloud and quantum emulator technology.
In words you can understand, it’s a complex system that allows developers to test, debug, and validate quantum algorithms without needing an expensive and complicated quantum device. And, despite how advanced the technology is, quantum computers are actually so prone to errors and pretty much impossible to access for the average person.
Still, you can’t run it on your ThinkPad laptop. Quantum emulators do still need supercomputers, just not a quantum supercomputer.
Quantum Notebooks
Part of the technology runs on quantum notebooks to integrate code, text, and multimedia for projects. Using platforms like Jupyter, they create a hands-on environment for learning and developing quantum solutions.
And since they work over the cloud and use the power of cloud CPUs and storage, you don’t need a supercomputer to use them, only the advanced Quantum notebook technology.
Real-World Applications of Quantum Computing and Emulations
Quantum computing isn’t as far out of reach or as futuristic as you might think. Quantum computing is starting to appear around us in applications; businesses, and sometimes, regular people, are using it without realising.
For example, Apple’s iMessage now uses the cryptographic protocol PQ3 to protect conversations and future threats through iMessage. It’s one of the most tangible applications of quantum computing for all of us that focuses on secure communication.
Some of the other real-world applications include:
- Simulations of autonomous vehicle testing
- Rapid data analysis and big data
- Drug discovery and material science
- AI and machine learning
Quantum computing and emulations might seem futuristic, but they’re one of the world’s leading technologies that industry specialists are spending billions on. It will arguably change technology, security, testing, and everything else in between as we know it.
