In a recent episode of Eye on AI, host Craig Smith interviewed Celia Merzbacher, Executive Director of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C), to cut through the hype and examine the actual state of quantum computing, sensing, and AI in 2025.
Merzbacher provided a reality check on the industry's growth, noting that while quantum computing is still in its early stages, the market is expanding steadily. According to QED-C's annual survey, quantum revenue is already emerging from niche applications in pharmaceuticals, energy, and finance, often through hybrid classical-quantum systems. She emphasized that utility-scale quantum computing—where machines outperform classical computers on practical problems—is still years away, but progress in hardware, error correction, and algorithms is accelerating.
A key highlight was the discussion of quantum sensing, a less hyped but more mature field. Quantum sensors are already being used in medical imaging, navigation, and environmental monitoring, offering precision far beyond classical sensors. Merzbacher argued that quantum sensing could deliver near-term commercial benefits sooner than quantum computing.
The conversation also touched on the interplay between quantum technologies and AI. While AI is not the primary focus of QED-C, Merzbacher noted that quantum machine learning could eventually enhance AI's capabilities, particularly in optimization and simulation tasks. However, she cautioned that we are not yet at the point where quantum computers outperform classical AI accelerators.
Overall, Merzbacher's message was one of cautious optimism: the quantum industry is making real strides, but the revolutionary breakthroughs often promised by media remain a decade or more away. For now, the focus is on incremental progress and finding practical uses for the technology as it matures.