The Quantum Shift Is Underway

The team at Capgemini’s quantum lab have a front seat on where things stand with the technology and market interest. The $26B Paris-based global consulting firm is no stranger to helping business leaders assess emerging technologies and trends. Pascal Brier, Group Chief Innovation Officer says the firm recognized several years ago that quantum technologies were reaching a potential commercial tipping point and decided to get ahead of it and form their own quantum lab.

Now in its fourth year, the lab, working with teams across the firm, provides a set of capabilities that demonstrate the current state of commercial quantum technologies and the near-term value being realized across industries.

Julian van Velzen is the quantum lab leader. He’s quick to point out two defining characteristics of the quantum space that can be misunderstood: quantum is a wide range of technologies, not just a single narrow solution, and many of these technologies are advancing at different rates meaning some are ready and many are still years away from viability.

With an academic background in condensed matter physics and now eight years with the firm, he’s at the helm of a team tasked with making sense of quantum’s state of the art and helping his colleagues package related offerings.

The firm’s quantum services are timely guideposts for where the technology is in terms of readiness, what industry demand looks like, and how others can use these insights to plan their quantum strategy.

How Organizations Are Putting Quantum To Work

Today, Brier says clients are seeking three areas of support.

The first, perhaps unsurprisingly, is a diverse range of questions about the readiness of the technology and the claims of providers. For Brier, the innovation lab has always been about research that establishes a neutral, unbiased view, one that clients can trust. Sadly he says the market is full of confusing noise and claims that when properly evaluated are often misleading or exaggerated.

The second area, perhaps the most insightful and surprising, is high demand for post quantum cryptography (PQC) support. There’s irony here because the solution, for the most part, is not quantum-based, but rather preparation for a time when future quantum computers may make current encryption such as RSA and ECC ineffective. PQC consists of cryptographic algorithms believed to be resistant to attacks from both classical and quantum computers. Capgemini clients want their risk assessed and then help with pre- and post-deployment PQC roadmaps.

What makes this area compelling is that it provides a quantum entry point for organizations. While leaders may not yet be thinking about quantum solutions, the process of determining encryption risks from quantum is a forcing function that can create knowledge and motivation for a broader quantum roadmap within their organization.

Finally, the firm is deeply engaged in supporting simulations, a longstanding strength for the organization outside of quantum, and an area where organizations are actively exploring quantum-enabled simulations through proofs of concept and early deployments.

Brier thinks of it as quantum for science. For example, in the chemistry and material sciences, topics governed by quantum mechanics in nature, quantum computers can model certain molecular and material systems more naturally because both the systems being studied and the computers themselves operate according to the principles of quantum mechanics. Coupled with AI, this area has the potential, for example, to help build more efficient batteries, better fertilizers, and faster drug discovery.

After several years of steadily increasing demand in these service areas, Brier and Velzen have the context to share a few preliminary recommendations for leaders wanting an entry point for a quantum strategy.

Where Leaders Can Begin With Quantum

First, a high value starting point is assessing an organization’s post quantum cryptography risk. Industries such as banking, insurance, and the public sector are already making this a priority. It’s relevant to others too but to different degrees. The outcome will be an assessment of risk which will determine preparedness and implementation requirements. Importantly, it will also create momentum around quantum knowledge and a broader set of steps to prepare for the arrival of the technology.

Second, either as a result of the previous effort or independently, the organization should begin to understand the role that quantum can potentially play. Those that have a need to simulate molecular systems, explore advanced optimization techniques, or evaluate quantum-inspired approaches may be well positioned to begin experimentation immediately. If quantum may provide advantages either right away or in the near future, the business needs to understand what it will take to integrate the technology into existing infrastructure and workflows, and the talent that may be required.

Finally, every organization would be well advised to monitor the quantum space, follow progress, and build some relevant expertise with existing leaders and staff. Brier recommends not waiting for the technology to be ready but rather preparing in advance. Given its complexity, by the time it’s operationally relevant and without preparedness, there may be a long adoption phase which could create a damaging delay in competitiveness.

Why Waiting For Quantum May Be The Bigger Risk

Like any emerging technology, uncertainty is a characteristic. However, as time passes, that uncertainty diminishes. At a high level, it either validates that the technology is going nowhere and should be ignored, or its role and value begins to be more obvious and action is required. With quantum, the latter is becoming more evident.

Quantum remains experimental in many respects, and significant breakthroughs are still needed. But the trajectory is becoming increasingly clear. As investment grows, capabilities improve, and practical use cases emerge, organizations can no longer afford to view quantum as a distant scientific curiosity.

Quantum winners may not be those who move fastest, but those who prepare earliest.