Quantum Exchange Predicts Top Five Trends in Quantum Technologies in 2020

(QuantumXC.com) Here are the top five things Quantum Exchange predicts for Quantum Technologies in 2020:
1) Competition for achievement in quantum computing will intensify. In the wake of Google’s controversial announcement of achieving “quantum supremacy”, it was fairly apparent that the quantum race is not just between nation-states (the U.S. against China, for example), but also between the industry leaders like IBM and Google.
2) Consolidation in quantum computing hardware space. Quantum computing is such an expensive proposition that some of the smaller companies (like IonQ and Rigetti) will likely be acquired by the larger ones. Similar to the natural selection process, the most compelling approaches will be swept up by the major operators in the field, such as IBM, Google and Microsoft.
3) Investment dollars will flow towards improving quantum computers and supporting technologies. As support for quantum research and technologies by governments and large technology firms ramp up, outside investors have looked to get in early. According to an analysis by Nature, private investors have funded at least 52 quantum-technology companies globally since 2012. In 2017 and 2018, companies received at least $450 million in private funding — more than four times the $104 million disclosed over the previous two years.
4) Investment in developing talent in academia will continue to increase. Progress made in quantum computing demands – and depends on – cultivating quantum expertise across the board. Thanks to the Quantum Initiative Act, part of the $1.2B earmarked for this effort is being given to institutions such as the University of Chicago and MIT, as well as Cambridge and Quantum Daily in Canada. The research accomplished in universities will be critical, but the key will be to transition into a commercial enterprise that can advance the technology and bring it to the market. Companies like Quantum Xchange and our neighbor IonQ out of University of Maryland, serve as a great example of how the talent and work done in academia and research institutions can translate into progress for the technology.
5) QKD encryption will play a potentially significant role in 5G. As 5G networks come online, the amount of personal data moving around will increase dramatically, particularly since the use of those 5G networks will cause a tremendous increase in the number of connected devices and sensors. All of this means it will be even more important to find a way to secure that data against breaches and theft. Quantum-safe solutions will play a significant role in providing that protection.