Why the future is quantum

Quantum’s New Era: Powering Future Innovation and Discovery at Web Summit Lisbon 2025

At Web Summit Lisbon 2025, experts discussed the transition from transistor-driven progress to the quantum era. Dr. Saif Al-Kuwari, Professor at HBKU, stated that quantum is “the future,” encompassing computing, communication, and sensing. Mr. Rajeeb Hazra, CEO of Quantinuum, highlighted the stunning pace of quantum progress, noting the field advanced from theoretical science to over 50 usable qubits in just two years, accelerating towards commercial deployment.

Dr. Al-Kuwari emphasized that quantum is a journey, urging early engagement, comparing it to learning to pilot a spaceship before its arrival. He clarified that current challenges are primarily engineering, not fundamental physics, and historically, engineering problems are always eventually solved. This proactive approach is crucial for future readiness.

Mr. Hazra explained that quantum computing offers more than just speed; it provides a fundamentally different approach. It exploits high parallelism in data and computation, enabling the modeling of phenomena previously impossible with classical digital systems. This capability extends to real-world applications like understanding molecular binding for carbon sequestration or designing advanced drug delivery materials.

Ms. Jennifer Strong, Executive Producer at SHIFT Podcast, noted a crucial shift from “quantum supremacy” hype to a focus on collaboration. The future involves QPUs, CPUs, and GPUs working synergistically, underscoring the vital interplay between quantum technologies and artificial intelligence. Quantum demands a “grounds up” rethinking of hardware, programming, and algorithms, necessitating extensive collaboration across industry and academia.

Governments, including Qatar in the GCC region, are strategically investing in a broad spectrum of quantum technologies, including communication and sensing, to secure a competitive advantage. For practical advancement, Mr. Hazra identified technological breakthroughs like quantum error correction and integrated optics as key for performance and miniaturization.

The most significant breakthrough will emerge when these technologies meet compelling real-world use cases. He envisioned AI agents trained with quantum mechanics, capable of accurately predicting chemical properties or reaction pathways. This powerful synergy would achieve outcomes neither AI nor quantum could accomplish independently, surpassing classical computing limitations.

Dr. Al-Kuwari predicted quantum’s “ChatGPT moment” would be a quiet, profound revolution in scientific discovery, achieved through networks of smaller quantum computers linked by quantum communication. Mr. Hazra concluded by emphasizing the urgency of a holistic policy integrating use cases, infrastructure, and workforce development to build a robust quantum frontier.