LONDON — November 6, 2025 — As artificial intelligence dominates global headlines, scientists and technologists are turning their attention toward a new frontier — quantum technology. Experts believe the field could transform industries even more profoundly than AI, unlocking computing power once considered impossible.
Quantum Technology Gains Renewed Global Attention
While artificial intelligence has captured public fascination, quantum computing — grounded in the principles of quantum mechanics — is emerging as a powerful complementary force. Tech giants such as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon Web Services are racing to build the next generation of quantum processors capable of solving complex problems at unprecedented speed.
BBC Technology Editor Zoe Kleinman notes that recent breakthroughs, including Microsoft’s Majorana quantum chip, have intensified research activity worldwide. “Quantum computing is no longer theoretical,” she said. “It’s becoming an engineering challenge on the edge of reality.”
Industry Experts Caution Against Overhype
Despite growing excitement, industry analysts remain measured. Brian Hopkins, Vice President and Principal Analyst at Forrester Research, says quantum’s potential is enormous but still uncertain. “We require much more powerful quantum computers and sustained innovation to apply quantum effects effectively,” he explained.
Quantum computing could one day revolutionize medicine, materials science, and finance. Yet experts warn that real-world deployment remains years away due to hardware fragility and environmental sensitivity.
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Market Value and Emerging Competition
According to McKinsey, the global quantum sector could reach $97 billion by 2035, while AI’s projected market size already extends into the trillions. Although quantum remains behind AI in commercial adoption, both fields face similar challenges — investor overhype and cyclical market corrections.
“Quantum once seemed like the most-hyped technology,” Hopkins said. “Now AI holds that title, but quantum’s long-term potential remains staggering.”
Transforming Healthcare and Scientific Research
Quantum computing could dramatically accelerate drug discovery and medical innovation. By analyzing countless molecular combinations simultaneously, it may produce breakthroughs that traditional computers would take millennia to compute.
Google’s Willow chip, unveiled in December 2024, reportedly solved a problem in five minutes that would take the world’s fastest supercomputer 10 septillion years — demonstrating the transformative potential of quantum hardware.
Security and Encryption Challenges Ahead
As capabilities expand, governments are increasingly concerned about quantum threats to encryption. Quantum computers could one day crack traditional data protection methods, compromising state secrets and personal information.
“Nation-state actors are already stealing encrypted data now to decrypt later,” said Professor Alan Woodward of Surrey University. “We call it ‘harvest now, decrypt later,’ and it’s a credible threat.”
To prepare, companies such as Apple and Signal have begun implementing post-quantum encryption protocols to safeguard sensitive communications against future cyberattacks.
Quantum Sensors and Everyday Applications
Quantum technologies are already influencing daily life. Quantum sensors power atomic clocks and are being used in new non-invasive brain-scanning systems and advanced navigation tools that function without GPS.
In 2024, Imperial College London successfully tested a “quantum compass” on the London Underground, capable of pinpointing positions underground where satellite signals fail — a breakthrough with potential applications in defense, logistics, and finance.
The Road Toward a Quantum Future
Experts estimate that Q-day — the point at which quantum computers surpass traditional encryption — could arrive by 2030. While timelines remain uncertain, global investment continues to accelerate. Governments are funding national quantum programs, and private firms are recruiting physicists and AI researchers to prepare for the next wave.
“Quantum computing will redefine what’s possible,” said Dr. Michael Cuthbert, Director of the UK National Quantum Computing Centre. “Once scaled, it could impact every major industry — from clean energy to climate modeling and finance.”
As scientists race to stabilize fragile quantum systems and investors pour billions into research, one question lingers: will quantum truly eclipse AI, or will the two evolve together to power humanity’s next technological leap?
