#015 – The Quantum Leap: How Quantum Computing is Shaping the Future
Published: 2025-08-24 • Category: Technology • By Soham Bharambe
Quantum computers promise to solve problems that stump even the most powerful classical supercomputers. From drug discovery to cryptography, the stakes are high and the excitement, even higher.
What Is Quantum Computing?
Unlike a traditional bit, which exists as 0 or 1, a qubit can be both simultaneously—thanks to a principle called superposition. When you combine qubits, entanglement lets them influence each other instantly, no matter how far apart.
Key Milestones
- 2019 – IBM introduces the 53‑qubit IBM Q System One.
- 2021 – Google claims quantum supremacy with the Sycamore processor.
- 2023 – Honeywell reaches 1,000 logical qubits on its trapped‑ion platform.
- 2024 – D-Wave launches the Advantage system with 5,000 qubits.
- 2025 – Gen's own quantum playground becomes a public demo, letting anyone run small circuits.
Applications on the Horizon
Here are a few areas where quantum could make waves:
- Drug Discovery – Simulating molecular interactions at atomic precision.
- Optimization – Routing delivery trucks or scheduling airline flights.
- Material Science – Designing superconductors that operate at higher temperatures.
- Cryptography – Breaking RSA keys (yes, that's both thrilling and scary).
- AI & Machine Learning – Training models with exponentially faster algorithms.
Challenges Still Ahead
Quantum hardware is fragile. Decoherence (loss of quantum information) and error rates remain the biggest obstacles. Quantum error correction is making progress, but scaling to millions of qubits is a herculean task.
How Gen Is Involved
We’re partnering with Gen Quantum Labs to develop open‑source libraries that let developers run real quantum circuits in the browser. Check out the demo here.
In summary, quantum computing is still in its adolescence, but its potential is nothing short of revolutionary. Stay tuned—our next article will dive into quantum‑safe encryption.