Why the 2020s Belong to Quantum Computing
Or “The Future, At Last, Arrives”
When was the day that quantum became normalised?
‘Quantum’, as a modifier within a sentence, has typically denoted something entirely beyond the realm of ordinary comprehension — the demesne of cats at once undead and unliving, of profound theoretical breakthroughs regretted, of keys to new dimensions. Sat on the lip of the 2020s, however, it is both exciting and oddly disconcerting to discover that quantum, such a synonym for the terminally unpredictable, has become a sure shot, an all-but-safe bet.
Or, at least, quantum computing has. Since the 1990s it has been one of the most anticipated tickmarks on the developmental technological calendar. Now, we are passing between decisive phases in the lifecycle of this unique branch of computing. No longer merely a theoretical preserve, or a lab-bound pursuit, quantum computing is now a major channel of investment for large companies, small companies, VCs, academic institutions, and states. More and more, we are finding applied usage for the prime descendant of the classical computer; to the extent that, come the end of the 20s, quantum computing might be feasibly considered the decade’s definitive technology.
But why? And how?
