J. Philippe Blankert, 25 February 2025
Introduction
We live in an era of exponential data growth and rising computational demand. In fact, roughly 30% of the world’s data is generated by the healthcare sector alone, and analysts project that by 2025 this volume will be growing by over 36% annually [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6534333/]. Classical computers – from laptops to powerful supercomputers – are reaching their limits in speed and processing power for certain complex tasks [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1666-5]. To continue advancing science and industry, the world needs new computing paradigms. Quantum computing offers a radical leap forward: it uses the principles of quantum physics to manipulate information far more quickly than classical computing [https://arxiv.org/abs/1905.00282]. By leveraging phenomena like superposition and entanglement, quantum computers can explore a vast number of possibilities simultaneously, performing calculations that would take classical machines an impractical amount of time [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1666-5].
Benefits of Quantum Computing and Its Revolutionary Impact
Quantum computers operate in a fundamentally different way from classical machines, unlocking new capabilities in problem-solving. Unlike a traditional bit that must be 0 or 1, a qubit can exist in a superposition of 0 and 1 states, allowing a quantum computer to perform many calculations in parallel [https://arxiv.org/abs/1905.00282]. Multiple qubits can also become entangled, such that their states are correlated no matter the distance between them. These properties give quantum computers an inherent parallelism and enormous computational space to work with [https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphy.2019.00067/full].
Quantum computing’s benefits include:
- Unparalleled Computational Speed-up for Certain Problems: By evaluating many possibilities in parallel, quantum algorithms can find solutions in minutes to problems that might take classical computers millennia, as demonstrated in early quantum supremacy experiments [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1666-5].
- Ability to Solve Intractable Complex Problems: Quantum computers can simulate and analyze complex systems (chemical, biological, financial, etc.) with many interacting parts. They can handle the combinatorial explosion of possibilities in these systems where classical machines hit a wall [https://arxiv.org/abs/2001.10592].
- New Directions in Cryptography and Security: The computational power of quantum machines could break current encryption standards [https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9508027], prompting a global effort toward post-quantum cryptography. At the same time, quantum technology enables new secure communication methods (e.g., quantum cryptography) that leverage physics to guarantee security [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2401-y].
Industry Applications of Quantum Computing
Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals
Quantum computing’s ability to simulate complex molecular and biological systems could be transformative. Drug discovery is a prime example. Developing a new medication often requires analyzing how candidate molecules interact with target proteins or biochemical pathways – a task so complex that classical computers struggle to simulate even medium-sized molecules with high accuracy [https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2021.650943/full].
Beyond drug design, quantum computing may help with genomic analysis and personalized medicine. Quantum algorithms have the potential to sift through and identify patterns in large biomedical datasets more efficiently than classical algorithms [https://arxiv.org/abs/2006.12290].
Finance
The financial industry is another area eagerly eyeing quantum computing because many financial problems boil down to huge optimization and simulation challenges. Quantum computers offer a way to evaluate vast numbers of scenarios in parallel, potentially finding better solutions to financial problems much faster than classical machines [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2411-x]. Early experiments are promising: one European bank tested a quantum-inspired algorithm for optimizing a large collateral portfolio, and it ran 10× faster than the classical approach while improving the portfolio’s performance [https://arxiv.org/abs/1910.08525].
Climate Science and Energy
Tackling climate change and developing sustainable energy solutions involve some of the most complex scientific problems of our time. Quantum computing has the potential to drive major breakthroughs in this arena. One of quantum computing’s unique strengths is the ability to accurately simulate quantum systems, notably chemical reactions and materials at the molecular level. This means a quantum computer could help us design new materials and processes for carbon capture, create more efficient batteries and solar cells, invent sustainable fertilizers, or discover better catalysts for industrial processes [https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2021.650943/full].
Quantum Computing vs Classical Computing
Quantum computers and classical computers are fundamentally different in how they process information. Classical computers use transistors and logic gates to manipulate bits (0 or 1) sequentially or in parallel on a limited scale; by contrast, quantum computers use quantum bits (qubits) that follow the rules of quantum mechanics, allowing them to perform certain computations in parallel on an astronomical scale due to superposition [https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0105040].
The Case for Hybrid Quantum-Classical Systems
Given the respective strengths of classical and quantum computing, the emerging consensus is that the future is hybrid. Instead of quantum computers operating in isolation, they will work in tandem with classical computers to solve problems together [https://arxiv.org/abs/2012.08462]. A hybrid quantum-classical system means using a classical computer to do what it does best (controlling logic flow, performing simple computations, handling data input/output) and using a quantum co-processor to handle the parts of a computation that are quantum-speed enabled [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-019-0747-3].
Current Technological Challenges in Quantum Computing
Despite its promise, quantum computing today is still an emerging technology facing significant technological challenges. These include:
- Qubit Quality and Error Rates: Qubits are extremely fragile and prone to decoherence, leading to high error rates in calculations [https://arxiv.org/abs/2011.00019].
- Scalability (Number of Qubits): Current quantum processors have on the order of 50 to 100 qubits, far below the estimated millions of qubits needed for full-scale quantum applications [https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphy.2019.00067/full].
- Hardware Limitations (Control, Cooling, etc.): Operating a quantum computer requires extreme conditions – such as near-absolute-zero temperatures – making scaling a daunting engineering challenge [https://arxiv.org/abs/2105.01784].
Quantum-as-a-Service (QaaS) and Its Potential Impact
The Role of Quantum Middleware Solutions like BQM.AI
As quantum computing advances, middleware solutions are emerging to bridge the gap between quantum and classical systems. One such solution is BQM.AI, which focuses on hybrid quantum-classical approaches to optimize problem-solving in real-world applications. BQM.AI provides middleware that helps orchestrate quantum computing tasks efficiently, ensuring seamless integration with existing classical infrastructure. By utilizing quantum-inspired optimization techniques, BQM.AI enhances performance in industries like finance, logistics, and material science, making quantum computing more accessible and practical [https://bqm.ai].
Thanks to Quantum-as-a-Service (QaaS), the benefits of quantum computing are becoming accessible to businesses, researchers, and even individuals without needing to own a quantum computer [https://arxiv.org/abs/2006.14510]. QaaS is the delivery of quantum computing over the cloud, on demand, allowing users to run quantum algorithms on real quantum hardware (or high-quality quantum simulators) through cloud platforms [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04110-1].
Conclusion
The world’s need for quantum computing stems from our need to solve problems that have been beyond the reach of classical computing. As we have explored, quantum computers promise to revolutionize problem-solving in healthcare, finance, climate science, and many other fields. The technology still faces significant hurdles, but ongoing research and cloud-based access (QaaS) are rapidly driving progress. While fully realized quantum computing may still be years away, hybrid quantum-classical approaches are already delivering value today. As development continues, quantum computing is poised to become a core tool for solving some of humanity’s biggest challenges.