How Quantum Computing Could Transform the Supply Chain

(TechHQ) Quantum computing will bring extraordinary new potential to the supply chain.
the World Economic Forum (WEF) is now predicting that we will see the first generation of commercially-available, quantum-inspired devices by 2025, by which time quantum computers will “have outgrown [their] infancy.”
At IBM’s virtual roundtable event, Solving Business Problems with Quantum Computing, leading quantum experts discussed how quantum computing could theoretically be used to tackle challenges linked to the pandemic-induced changes in businesses, including supply chain disruption.
Jamie Thomas, general manager at IBM Systems Strategy & Development, said the pandemic illustrated the need for quantum computing and the promises it holds to provide solutions to unprecedented events.
Manufacturers are incorporating more and more sensors into their operations, gleaning vast amounts of enterprise data; quantum computing could handle this vast, ever-changing stream of data within a decision-making model, equipping members of the supply chain with the rapid insight needed to optimize resource management and logistics on-the-fly.
With manufacturers seeing unpredictable spikes in demand, quantum computing could also have enabled plants to respond and prepare for shifts in utility usage and demand, allowing them to detail a specific accounting of the energy used on the production floor in real-time.
One of the most promising applications of quantum computing in the supply chain, meanwhile, is in logistics route planning and scheduling, where the technology can bring powerful new capabilities in areas such as real-time traffic simulations.