Quantum Computing: Why Business Leaders Should Pay Attention Now

For a long time, quantum computing was easy to place in the “interesting, but not yet practical” category.

That is becoming harder to do.

We are still far from a world where quantum computing is part of everyday enterprise operations. But we are no longer in the phase where leaders can afford to ignore it. The pace of progress is becoming too visible. Google has positioned Willow as a major step toward large-scale error-corrected quantum computing, while IBM says it is targeting near-term quantum advantage by the end of 2026 and a large-scale fault-tolerant system by 2029.

From my perspective, this is exactly the kind of technology business leaders should watch carefully: not because it is ready to transform everything today, but because it is becoming strategic before it becomes mainstream.

That distinction matters.

Quantum computing is often misunderstood as simply “much faster computing.” I do not see it that way. Classical computing will remain the foundation for most business operations. Quantum’s importance lies elsewhere: it is being developed to tackle categories of problems that are exceptionally difficult for classical systems, especially in optimization, simulation, cryptography, and advanced modeling. That is why the strongest commercial expectations continue to center around sectors such as energy, chemicals, materials, pharma, finance, and logistics. McKinsey’s 2025 monitor estimates that quantum computing could create roughly $0.9 trillion to $2 trillion in value by 2035.

What I find especially important is that the opportunity is not limited to the companies building quantum hardware.

The more realistic business view is to look at the full value chain. The Plug and Play report frames the ecosystem across hardware, cloud services, systems software, application software, and education or advisory services. In other words, the winners will not only be those who build the machine. They will also be those who enable access, develop practical software, create industry applications, and build the talent needed to use this technology effectively.

This is where the conversation becomes more relevant for business leaders.

Most organizations will not build quantum computers. Most do not need to. But many should start thinking about where quantum could reshape economics in their sector. For some, that could mean route and supply chain optimization. For others, it could mean materials discovery, molecular simulation, portfolio modeling, or complex risk analysis. The opportunity right now is not mass deployment. It is identifying the problems that may become strategically solvable in a different way over the coming years.

Another important point is access.

One reason quantum is becoming commercially relevant earlier than many expected is the growth of cloud-based access models. The Plug and Play report highlights quantum-as-a-service as a practical way for organizations to experiment without owning specialized hardware, while also benefiting from hybrid classical-quantum workflows. That lowers the barrier to entry and changes the nature of the opportunity. For many organizations, the first advantage will come from learning early, not from owning infrastructure.

There is also a second reason quantum deserves immediate attention, and it is much more practical than many people realize: cybersecurity.

Even before large-scale quantum systems become commercially dominant, the security implications are already here. NIST has released three post-quantum cryptography standards that organizations can begin implementing now, and it continues evaluating additional algorithms. That means the first serious quantum-related initiative in many organizations may not be a computing project at all. It may be a security transition plan.

This is particularly relevant for governments, regulated sectors, financial institutions, healthcare, telecom, and any organization holding sensitive long-life data. In these environments, the question is not whether to act, but how early to start preparing.

Personally, I believe the best response to quantum today is neither skepticism nor hype.

Skepticism misses the direction of travel. Hype ignores the reality that the technology still faces meaningful limitations, especially around error correction, scale, and commercial maturity. The better position is a disciplined middle ground: take it seriously, build awareness, identify use cases, develop internal understanding, and connect with the right ecosystem partners.

That is why I see the biggest current opportunity in readiness.

Readiness means understanding which business problems in your sector could eventually justify quantum approaches. It means building a small portfolio of use cases. It means watching the software, cloud, and security layers, not just the hardware headlines. And it means preparing people, partnerships, and governance before the technology reaches its next inflection point.

In my view, quantum computing will reward prepared organizations long before it becomes fully mature.The leaders who benefit most may not be the ones who talk about it the most today. They may be the ones quietly building the right foundations now. And that, in many emerging technologies, is where the real strategic advantage begins.

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Originally published in the VerbionPulse newsletter on LinkedIn: Quantum Computing: Why Business Leaders Should Pay Attention Now.