The media has been all over quantum computing for a few years now, creating muddy waters for our clients as they try to understand this conceptually difficult emerging technology. I’ve been tracking quantum computers for about five years, but I’ve kept it off the research radar because I thought it was outside the “Should clients care?” window. In 2017, that changed as some of the largest vendors in the world like Google, IBM, and Microsoft stepped up their investments to make quantum computers a reality. Furthermore, the size of quantum computers started to double and triple recently.

I’m pleased to announce that quantum computers will be on our list of top emerging technologies to watch in 2018. To help clients get a handle on the technology, here is a five-minute video clip:

I also just published a brief titled “Emerging Technology Spotlight: Quantum Computing” to complement the longer report, “A First Look At Quantum Computing,” that I published last fall. In both, I’m taking a pragmatic approach that first educates clients on what they are, what they can potentially do and, finally, what to watch for as they evolve.

Want to know more? There are lots of open questions: What is supremacy, and when will we get there? How does this affect cryptography? What about D-Wave Systems? Isn’t IBM Q production ready? What is Microsoft doing in this race? A lot is happening. Let me know if you want to talk.