Alan Baratz is the president and CEO of D-Wave (NYSE: QBTS), a leader in quantum annealing technology and the first commercial supplier of quantum computers. D-wave’s technology has been used by some of the world’s most advanced organizations, including Volkswagen, Mastercard, Deloitte, Siemens Healthineers, and more.
D-wave Predictions for 2024
Quantum Supremacy
Prediction: The industry will achieve a proven, defensible quantum supremacy result in 2024. Ongoing scientific and technical advancements indicate that we are far along the path to achieving quantum supremacy. 2024 will be the year where quantum definitively outperforms classical, full stop. There will be clear evidence of quantum’s ability to solve a complex computational problem previously unsolvable by classical computing, and quantum will solve it faster, better and with less power consumption. The breakthrough we’ve all been pursuing is coming.
Rapid Governmental Adoption of Quantum
Prediction: The US government’s usage of annealing quantum computing will increase given the anticipated passing of legislation including the National Quantum Initiative and the National Defense Authorization Act. 2024 will see a rapid uptick in quantum sandbox and test bed programs — with directives to use all types of quantum technology, including annealing, hybrid and gate model. These programs will focus on near-term application development to solve real-world public sector problems, from public transportation vehicle routing to electric grid resilience.
Prediction: The global quantum race will continue to heat up, as the U.S. and its allies aggressively push for near-term application development. While the U.S. is now starting to accelerate near-term applications, other governments like Australia, Japan, the U.K., and the E.U. have been making expedited moves to bring quantum in to solve public sector challenges. This effort will greatly expand in 2024. Top public sector areas of focus will likely be sustainability, transportation and logistics, supply chain, and health care.
Business Impact and the Future of Work
Prediction: Quantum computing will show proven value and utility in daily business operations through in-production applications. As we close 2023, companies are beginning to go into production with quantum-hybrid applications, so it’s no stretch of the imagination to see corporations using quantum solutions daily for ubiquitous business challenges such as employee scheduling, vehicle routing, and supply chain optimization. In time, it will become a part of every modern IT infrastructure, starting with the integration of annealing quantum computing.
Prediction: With economists projecting a shallow recession in 2024, organizations will seek new technologies, such as quantum computing, to navigate adversity and bolster business resilience. Quantum technologies can accelerate problem solving and decision making for a wide range of common organizational processes, such as supply chain management, manufacturing efficiency, logistical planning, and employee scheduling. Amidst a challenging economic environment, quantum’s ability to fuel operational efficiencies is critical.