Quantum Intelligence (part I): quantum principles and market

Quantum computing is starting to be applied in areas like machine learning and optimization. Find out about the real possibilities of this technology to address complex problems and learn about current trends, from Quantum-as-a-Service to our position in the quantum ecosystem. I invite you to read a practical and realistic view of this field. In this first part we will make an introduction to the field and talk about quantum business.

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Introduction to quantum computing

Quantum computing is a discipline that takes advantage of the principles of quantum physics to process information in a radically different way than classical computers. It takes advantage of these three phenomena to encode information and process it:

Figure 1: Physical principles of quantum computation.

• Superposition allows a qubit (quantum bit) to exist in multiple states simultaneously. While a classical bit can only be 0 or 1, a qubit can be 0, 1 or any combination of both at the same time. This is as if a coin could be both heads and tails at the same time before it drops.
• Quantum interference allows you to manipulate the probabilities of the possible outcomes of a calculation. Certain outcomes can be strengthened and others cancelled out. It is as if we can influence how a coin will fall while it is still spinning in the air.
• Entanglement is a phenomenon whereby two or more qubits become connected in such a way that the state of one instantly affects the state of the other, no matter how far apart they are. It is as if two spinning coins were synchronized to always fall on the same side, even when they are far apart

■ Qubits can exist in superposition (0 and 1 simultaneously) and intertwine with each other allowing multiple solutions to be explored in parallel, in a phenomenon called quantum parallelism.

—For example, a circuit with 50 qubits can analyze up to 2^50 possibilities in a single operation.

Despite its potential, this technology faces some challenges:

• Quantum decoherence: qubits lose their quantum state due to environmental interferences (vibrations, temperature), limiting their useful time for computations to microseconds.
• Noise and errors: Quantum operations have high error rates that accumulate quickly in complex circuits. This forces you to have to repeat each operation (called shot) thousands of times to get reliable results.
• Demanding infrastructure: Superconducting qubits, such as those from IBM, require cooling near absolute zero (-273°C), isolation in vacuum chambers, and radiation shields to minimize disturbances.

Building the chandelier

Quantum computers, unlike classical computers, lack elements such as RAM or hard disks, and their design focuses on maintaining quantum coherence and minimizing interference.

Superconducting qubits require temperatures close to absolute zero (-273°C) to operate. This is achieved by cooling systems using helium and liquid nitrogen. These ultra-low temperatures reduce the thermal motion of atoms, crucial for maintaining quantum states. Dilution refrigerator is the name given to the structure that supports the entire system. It is the most iconic image of quantum computing and because of its shape, it is informally called the chandelier.

The core of the system houses the qubits, usually in superconducting circuits of niobium or aluminum deposited on silicon wafers. These are protected with electromagnetic shielding to prevent external interference. In addition, vacuum chambers eliminate vibrations and residual particles that could disturb the qubits. Manipulation of the quantum states of the qubits is performed by microwave pulses.

As you can see, these computers differ greatly from a conventional computer. Let us now see what the quantum market looks like.

The current quantum market

The quantum computing market has experienced growth in recent years. This growth is divided into three key areas, as outlined in the World Economic Forum 2025 report:

Illustration 2: The Quantum Market.

The main goal of quantum security and communications is to mitigate the threats that quantum computing poses to classical cryptography. This includes the development of post-quantum cryptography (PQC), which resists quantum attacks, and quantum key distribution (QKD), providing secure transmission of keys using entangled photons. These technologies are crucial for protecting critical infrastructures such as banks and power grids.

Quantum sensors take advantage of properties such as entanglement and superposition to perform ultra-precise measurements. Technologies such as SQUIDs can detect weak magnetic fields. These sensors have applications in health or energy.

Quantum computing is being explored for its application in artificial intelligence, machine learning or optimization, among others. In optimization, its potential to analyze complex combinations in logistics and resource planning problems is being investigated. In machine learning, new ways of processing data in high-dimensional spaces are being studied, with possible applications in classification and predictive analysis.

Funding for this market, from both public and private sources, is focusing on two areas. On the one hand, investment in hardware and in the development of larger (more qubits), less noisy computers. Manufacturers are creating increasingly advanced systems, such as IBM and its 156-qubit Heron chips announced in 2023¹.

On the other hand, Quantum-as-a-Service platforms are becoming available (such as IBM Quantum) that democratize access to quantum processors.

In the next post of the series, we will talk about where they are useful (and where they are not) and the tools available. Stay tuned!

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1. Although the number of qubits is not the only metric by which quantum computers are measured, it is the easiest to understand. In general, it is preferred to use the term quantum volume, which includes the number of qubits, the error rate and the computational speed (circuits executed per second).

Photo (cc) of a model of IBM Quantum System One at Shin-Kawaski for the University of Tokyo. IBM Research.