Quantum optimizers can help organizations capture some of the benefits of quantum computing now.
Quantum computing promises eye-popping progress, and it’s expected to have an economic impact of almost $1.3 trillion by 2035. However, that value is not yet within reach: fully fault-tolerant quantum computers that can generate significant business value are still years down the road.
While we wait, quantum optimizers may be a bridge technology.1 While quantum optimizers won’t be able to solve as many problems as quantum computers are expected to solve, they are easier to build and computationally superior to classical computers, at least for some optimization problems.
In May 2022, a functional quantum optimizer demonstrated its advantage against high-performance classical computers for a set of problems that are inherently difficult for classical computers.2 Experts believe this quantum optimizer can deliver commercial value in solving optimization problems across industries, in forecasting, and in materials science.3
The full potential of this quantum optimizer will become clear as more users in academia and industry experiment and apply it to different use cases. In this blog post, we shed light on possible applications and discuss what decision makers can consider in evaluating the potential use of these applications for their organizations. The technology could offer a jump-start on harvesting the rewards of quantum computing.