For years, the promise that amazing breakthroughs will be made thanks to quantum computing has dangled tantalizingly out of reach. Each new breakthrough, inches the world closer to the day when a truly practical quantum computer will be available. Analysts from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) write, “Quantum computers are expected to massively accelerate the way we tackle complex, high-impact problems, with huge implications for companies’ bottom line. BCG’s prior study of more than 100 industry use cases — such as drug discovery, catalyst design, and logistics optimization — showed that, at maturity, quantum computing can create up to $3.5 trillion of economic uplift. The question is: When?”[1] Their examination of ongoing quantum computer activities convinced them “that quantum’s commercial inflection point — where the technology starts creating commercial value for end users — can arrive by 2030.” Science journalist Michael Peel reports that other analysts have reached the same conclusion. He writes, “After years of false dawns, many of the world’s leading tech companies are now betting that quantum computers will start to outperform their conventional counterparts by 2030 — with a potentially huge impact on fields ranging from cryptocurrencies and financial services to drug discovery.”[2]

The Potential of Quantum Computing

According to McKinsey & Company’s “2026 Quantum Technology Monitor,” there are “three industries where quantum computing is gaining the most traction. In chemicals and life sciences, companies are using quantum systems to simulate molecular interactions, helping to prioritize drug compounds and advanced materials more efficiently than classical computing allows. For organizations in travel, transport, and logistics, quantum algorithms are a super valuable solution for handling complex scheduling and routing problems embedded within broader classical systems. Meanwhile in financial services, institutions are using quantum-enhanced models to better capture risk scenarios.”[3]

Analysts from RAND Europe explain why quantum computing holds great potential. They write, “At its core, it harnesses the counter-intuitive laws of quantum mechanics, the branch of physics describing how matter and energy behave at the smallest scales. In this strange realm, particles can exist in several states simultaneously (superposition) and can remain connected across vast distances (entanglement). Once the stuff of abstract theory, these effects are now being engineered into innovative, cutting-edge systems: computers that process information in entirely new ways, sensors that measure the world with unprecedented precision, and communication networks that are virtually impossible to compromise.”[4] They identify five areas in which quantum computers and other quantum technologies could shape all of our daily lives. Those areas are:

• Discoveries in medicine and materials science. “This is where quantum computing could make a decisive difference. … In healthcare, faster drug discovery could bring quicker response to outbreaks and epidemics, personalized medicine and insight into previously inscrutable biological interactions. Quantum simulation of how materials behave could lead to new high efficiency energy materials, catalysts, alloys and polymers.”

• Sensors for navigation, medicine and the environment. “In navigation, they could guide ships, submarines and aircrafts without GPS by reading subtle variations in the Earth’s magnetic and gravitational fields. In medicine, quantum sensors could improve diagnostic capabilities via more sensitive, quicker and noninvasive imaging modes. In environmental monitoring, these sensors could track delicate shifts beneath the Earth’s surface, offer early warnings of seismic activity, or detect trace pollutants in air and water with exceptional accuracy.”

• Optimization for logistics and finance. “Many of the hardest challenges today concern the optimization of staggeringly complex systems; the task of choosing the best option among billions of possibilities. Managing a power grid or investment portfolio, scheduling flights or financial trading, or coordinating global deliveries all feature optimization problems so complex that even advanced supercomputers struggle to find efficient answers in time. Quantum computing could change this. Quantum algorithms could be used to solve optimization problems that are intractable using classical approaches.”

• Ultra-secure communication. “Quantum communication techniques, such as quantum key distribution (QKD), could offer intrinsically secure encrypted communication. In practical terms, this could secure everything from financial transactions and health records to government and military communications.”

• Supercharging progress in AI. “Artificial intelligence is already reshaping industries, but is reliant on the immense computing power needed to train and run large models. In the future, quantum computing could boost AI by handling calculations that classical machines find too complex.”

A Quantum Apocalypse?

Damping all of the excitement about the potential benefits of quantum computing is the worry about its dangers. Peel explains, “Some scientists worry that the sheer power of the technology could endanger privacy and national security.” RAND analysts add, “Quantum computers are inching ever closer to being capable of breaking many of today’s encryption systems (such as RSA encryption which secures data transmission on the internet), posing a major cybersecurity challenge.” Journalist Amit Katwala predicts “Q-Day” is coming.[5] According to Katwala, Q-Day is “the day someone builds a quantum computer that can crack the most widely used forms of encryption. These math problems have kept humanity’s intimate data safe for decades, but on Q-Day, everything could become vulnerable, for everyone: emails, text messages, anonymous posts, location histories, bitcoin wallets, police reports, hospital records, power stations, the entire global financial system.” This, he predicts, will bring on a Quantum Apocalypse.

David McNeely, Chief Technology Officer at Delinea, reports that all of this talk about a Quantum Apocalypse is “tormenting security leaders as they try to decode where to invest their attention and address critical security and reputation risks.”[6] He adds, “Not helping the scenario are vendors bombarding security teams with seemingly endless quantum-safe solutions, peddling urgency and doomsday storylines.” Stressing over “what if” scenarios doesn’t help if it doesn’t lead to an action plan. McNeely, and others, insist that now is the time to prepare for the Quantum Era. Scott Likens, Global Chief AI Engineer at PwC, suggests five actions companies can take now.[7] They are:

• Conduct a feasibility analysis. “This is crucial to identify gaps in existing systems and controls, and to determine how quantum computing can provide advantages. Consider factors like computational requirements, data complexity and integration challenges.”

• Start small and experiment. “Exploring small pilot projects can help businesses understand the potential and limitations of quantum technology without significant investment. Quantum-as-a-service (QaaS) platforms provide accessible and scalable quantum computing resources to test use cases and gain hands-on experience.”

• Build your ecosystem. “By fostering a robust ecosystem of partnerships with academic institutions and startups, businesses can leverage the collective expertise of others to drive innovation. These collaborations are crucial for accelerating technology transfer, developing skills and creating industry-relevant quantum algorithms.”

• Develop your workforce. “Organizations should focus on fostering in-house quantum literacy by training existing staff and hiring new talent with relevant skills. Training programs, workshops and certifications can help employees understand quantum principles, applications and the related risks and controls needed to address these risks.”

• Create a sector-specific roadmap. “Outline short-term and long-term objectives, potential use cases and milestones for quantum adoption. For example, logistics companies might focus on improving supply chain management, while pharmaceutical firms could prioritize drug discovery and molecular simulations.”

McKinsey & Company analysts, Henning Soller, Sven Smit, and Anna Heid, explain that companies must weigh both the benefits and risks of the Quantum Era. They explain, “Though business leaders are keeping Q-Day top of mind, they are viewing quantum computing through a new lens — less a threat and more an opportunity. Many are spurring their companies to experiment with quantum computing now so that they will be ready to deploy it at scale once quantum computers become mainstream, which could happen within the next five years.”[8]

Concluding Thoughts

Journalist Katherine Noyes observes, “Quantum computing has been hovering on the horizon of enterprise applicability for several years, eliciting both excitement and concern from business leaders. Today, in the wake of a recent flurry of major announcements from organizations large and small, there may be more reason than ever for companies to begin taking it seriously.”[9] With so many knowledgeable experts predicting the availability of useful quantum computers within the next decade, large companies should take quantum computing seriously. As Soller and his colleagues explain, “The potential benefits for early adopters are considerable. … The next ten years will bring significant technological gains that will advance the potential of quantum computing. Business leaders who understand the quantum computing landscape will be better equipped than their peers to map corporate objectives against the industry’s evolution.”

Footnotes

[1] Matt Langione, Hanl Park, Jean-François Bobier, Brad Henderson, Dr. Harley T. Johnson, Sesh Iyer, and Zheng Cui, “Quantum Is Getting Real. CEOs Need to Shape Where It Creates Value.” Boston Consulting Group, 4 June 2026.

[2] Michael Peel, “The quantum computing revolution is closer than you think,” Financial Times, 12 June 2026.

[3] Staff, “Quantum computing reaches commercial turning point, McKinsey report finds,” Consulting.us, 10 June 2026.

[4] Salil Gunashekar, Adam Urwick, and Teodora Chis, “Five Ways Quantum Technology Could Shape Everyday Life,” Quantum Insider, 11 February 2026.

[5] Amit Katwala, “The Quantum Apocalypse Is Coming. Be Very Afraid,” Wired, 24 March 2025.

[6] David McNeely, “Will Your Organization Take the Quantum Leap in 2026? Read This First.” RT Insights, 26 February 2026.

[7] Scott Likens, “Quantum computing: How businesses can prepare for the future,” PwC, 11 March 2025.

[8] , Henning Soller, Sven Smit, and Anna Heid, “Quantum’s bold promise: What business leaders need to know,” McKinsey Quarterly, 8 May 2026.

[9] Katherine Noyes, “The Quantum Era Is Nigh. Are You Ready?” The Wall Street Journal, 2 April 2025.