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Join Future Day on the 17th of November
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Artificial intelligence has changed how businesses think about technology. What was recently a specialised field of research is now part of everyday work, from analysing information and developing software to supporting research and business decisions.
As companies continue exploring what AI can do, another technology is attracting growing attention: quantum computing.
Technology companies are investing heavily in quantum research, governments are developing national strategies, and businesses across industries are beginning to explore potential applications. The comparison with AI is understandable, as both technologies have the potential to change how companies solve complex problems, although quantum computing is developing under very different conditions. Its scientific foundations are well established, but many of the engineering challenges involved in building reliable, scalable systems remain unresolved.
So, could quantum computing become the next major technological breakthrough after AI? And more importantly, what should businesses make of the progress happening today?
AI has demonstrated how advances in computing can move from research into widespread business use, sometimes faster than organisations anticipate. The arrival of generative AI tools made sophisticated technology accessible to millions of people without requiring them to understand the underlying models.
Quantum computing is now attracting attention for a similar reason: researchers are making progress on problems that once appeared far beyond existing technical capabilities, while businesses are trying to understand what those advances could eventually mean for them.
According to McKinsey’s Quantum Technology Monitor 2026, more than 300 organisations, including Airbus, JPMorgan Chase and Boehringer Ingelheim, are collaborating with quantum technology companies on potential business applications. The report estimates that quantum computing companies generated more than $1 billion in global revenue in 2025.
These figures indicate that an industry is developing around the technology. However, commercial revenue, research partnerships and pilot projects should not be confused with evidence that quantum computing is already delivering widespread operational advantages.
There is also an important difference in how the two technologies could reach businesses. Generative AI became accessible through existing digital infrastructure, while quantum computing requires specialised hardware and operating conditions, with potential benefits concentrated in particular types of computational problems.
Classical computers process information using bits, which represent either 0 or 1. Quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits, which can exist in a superposition of states and exhibit entanglement, creating correlations that cannot be explained using classical physics alone.
Together with quantum interference, these properties allow quantum algorithms to process information in ways that are fundamentally different from classical algorithms.
This does not mean quantum computers will be faster at everything. Their potential lies in solving certain problems more efficiently, particularly where conventional computing faces significant limitations.
One promising area is the simulation of molecules and materials. At the atomic level, matter behaves according to quantum mechanics, and accurately modelling these interactions using classical computers can become extremely demanding as the complexity of a system increases.
Because quantum computers operate according to the same underlying physical principles, they may eventually offer more efficient ways to investigate certain molecular and material properties. This could be relevant to pharmaceutical research, battery development, chemical processes and advanced materials.
Other areas being investigated include financial modelling, optimisation and some aspects of machine learning, although researchers have not yet established that quantum computers will consistently outperform the best classical methods across these applications.
Quantum computing has made considerable progress in recent years, particularly in addressing the reliability problems that have limited more complex calculations.
Quantum systems are highly sensitive to their environment, and even small disturbances can introduce errors. Researchers are therefore developing error-correction techniques that protect quantum information and allow calculations to run more reliably.
In November 2025, researchers from Harvard University and collaborating institutions published a study in Nature demonstrating important components of a fault-tolerant quantum computing architecture using neutral atoms.
Further progress followed in July 2026, when Google Quantum AI researchers published research demonstrating how reinforcement learning could help manage quantum error correction as operating conditions change.
Another significant development came in July 2026, when our partners for Future Day event IBM and the University of Chicago announced a demonstration of quantum advantage using 70 logical qubits. According to the researchers, their quantum processor completed a specialised computation in approximately 15 minutes that would have been impractical for leading classical simulation methods.
These achievements indicate that quantum computing is moving towards more reliable and increasingly complex calculations. However, they do not yet establish that quantum computers can deliver consistent commercial advantages, as successful laboratory demonstrations still need to translate into applications that outperform existing solutions in real business settings.
Beyond reliability, researchers must develop scalable hardware and algorithms that can consistently outperform the best classical alternatives on commercially relevant problems. Classical computing is also improving, making it important to evaluate quantum performance against current methods rather than outdated comparisons.
One approach attracting attention is hybrid computing, which combines quantum processors with conventional infrastructure. Instead of replacing classical systems, a quantum processor handles a specific part of a calculation while classical computers manage the remaining tasks. This is providing a practical route towards early applications, although measurable business advantages still need to be demonstrated.
For most organisations, quantum computing is not yet mature enough to justify major investments in dedicated infrastructure. However, companies whose operations depend on computationally demanding research or optimisation may benefit from exploring its potential before commercial applications become widely available.
The OECD’s 2026 report, Building Business Readiness for Quantum Computing, identifies several obstacles to adoption, including unclear business applications, high costs, limited access to expertise and difficulties integrating quantum technologies with existing computing infrastructure. Its research also describes quantum readiness as a gradual process, beginning with awareness and exploration rather than immediate implementation.
A reasonable first step is to examine where existing computational methods create limitations. For pharmaceutical and chemical companies, this might involve molecular simulation and materials research. Manufacturers could explore complex production or material-development problems, while financial institutions may be interested in computationally demanding modelling and optimisation.
Companies can then follow relevant scientific developments, assess emerging algorithms and, where appropriate, explore research partnerships or small experiments using cloud-based quantum systems.
Not every organisation needs to begin experimenting today. For many, following developments and periodically reassessing their relevance will be sufficient, while companies with clearly identified use cases and strong R&D capabilities may have more reason to engage directly.
There is, however, one area where preparation is already becoming necessary: cybersecurity.
Future fault-tolerant quantum computers could break some of the public-key cryptographic systems currently used to protect digital communications and sensitive information. Although quantum computers capable of doing so at a practical scale are not yet available, organisations need to account for information that must remain secure for many years.
The US National Institute of Standards and Technology has already finalised its first three post-quantum cryptography standards. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre has also published a phased migration roadmap, recommending that organisations develop initial plans by 2028 and aim to complete migration by 2035.
Unlike experimental applications in molecular simulation or optimisation, post-quantum cybersecurity is therefore an area where organisations already have established standards and practical guidance for taking action.
Quantum computing has made important advances, particularly in error correction and the development of more capable quantum architectures. However, the gap between demonstrating quantum capabilities and delivering reliable, economically valuable business applications has not yet been closed.
This makes the comparison with AI interesting, but also somewhat misleading.
Generative AI became accessible to millions of businesses and individuals through existing digital infrastructure. Quantum computing is likely to develop differently, with specialised applications emerging in scientific and industrial fields before any broader adoption becomes possible.
It is also unlikely to replace AI or conventional computing. Instead, quantum processors may become part of systems that combine different technologies, with each handling the tasks for which it is best suited.
Whether quantum computing becomes the next major technological breakthrough will ultimately depend on its ability to solve meaningful problems better than existing alternatives.
For businesses, there is value in following that progress without assuming that every technical achievement will lead to commercial adoption. Understanding where quantum computing could eventually matter to their operations will help organisations recognise relevant opportunities and make informed decisions about when further investment might be justified.
How close are we to practical quantum applications, and what should businesses be doing today?
Join us at Future Day: From Deep Tech Breakthroughs to Business Impact on 17 November 2026 in Helsinki, where experts from IBM , Accenture , OP Pohjola and other organisations will discuss the progress of quantum computing, its potential business applications and what it takes to move from research to real-world value.
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