THE QUBITS ARE COMING
Quantum computing could soon have a big impact on business
WITH LARGE, COMPLEX PROBLEMS,
QUANTUM COMPUTERS ARE FAST—REALLY FAST
TRADITIONAL COMPUTING QUANTUM COMPUTING
Solves a limited set of problems Solves an infinite number
sequentially or in parallel of problems simultaneously
ENTANGLED QUBITS
Act together to process
information almost
instantaneously
QUANTUM COMPUTING COULD DRUG DEVELOPMENT
TIMES COULD SPEED UP BY
SOON ACCELERATE ADVANCES
IN PHARMA AND CHEMICALS 20 %
Companies are already experimenting with quantum simulations
to speed up drug discovery and design more powerful molecules DRUG APPROVAL
RATES COULD
DOUBLE
GLOBAL HIGH-PERFORMANCE
COMPUTING MARKET IN 2018
$
10B
ESTIMATED QUANTUM COMPUTING MARKET
IN THE US PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY
$
15B TO $
30B
HOW QUICKLY COULD QUANTUM COMPUTING TAKE OFF?
Adoption will vary by industry and by the speed with which complex problems must be solved
CONSENSUS FORECASTS FOR THE PEAK ADOPTION RATES OF QUANTUM COMPUTING
80 % APPLICATIONS REQUIRING
A SIGNIFICANT SPEED ADVANTAGE
50 % APPLICATIONS REQUIRING A
MODERATE SPEED ADVANTAGE
25 % APPLICATIONS REQUIRING AN
UNDETERMINED SPEED ADVANTAGE
0 5 10 15
NUMBER OF YEARS
THE QUANTUM COMPUTING MARKET WILL
EVOLVE IN THREE OVERLAPPING GENERATIONS
1 2 3
FIRST GENERATION 2018–2028 SECOND GENERATION 2028–2039 THIRD GENERATION 2031–2050
Engineers develop quantum Quantum computers perform faster than Quantum computers achieve the
computers for specific classical computing in applications such as scale to perform advanced
low-complexity applications molecular simulation, R&D, and software simulations for modeling and
development problem-solving
2018 2022 2026 2030 2034 2038 2042 2046 2050
BCG EXPECTS A DECADE OF STEADY PROGRESS
IN QUANTUM COMPUTING, FOLLOWED BY A
SIGNIFICANT BOOST IN CAPABILITIES AFTER 2030
EARLY MOVERS CAN ESTABLISH A SIGNIFICANT QUANTUM
COMPUTING ADVANTAGE IN SEVERAL WAYS:
PREPARING FOR A
QUANTUM LEAP
Companies should engage
if they are in data-intensive
industries or need to run
time-consuming, complex Launch initiatives to Sponsor academic Explore molecule Challenge R&D to
simulations gain understanding, research in quantum simulations using follow quantum
capabilities, and applications quantum processors computing
expertise breakthroughs
This infographic is based on the BCG report The Coming Quantum Leap in Computing
Sources: BCG analysis; company reports; expert interviews
© The Boston Consulting Group, Inc. 2018. All rights reserved.
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