These new kinds of systems leverage the principles of quantum mechanics to expand computing capabilities. In classical computing, data is encoded in bits, with each bit having a value of either 0 or 1. In quantum computing, the data is encoded in qubits — each of which can be encoded as both 0 and 1. This state is called "superposition" and enables quantum computers to operate as parallelized systems and work on a million computations at once. By leveraging superposition and other quantum principles, quantum computers can crunch much larger data volumes, better mirror the natural multidimensional state of the world, and handle problems that are exponentially more complex.
In simpler terms, this means better designs, smarter and more efficient cars and the ability to tackle the optimization computations that drive those results, which would take classical computers hundreds of years to solve.
The technology is rapidly evolving and not quite ready for widespread use. Still, there are beneficial ways to leverage quantum computing techniques right now. As noted, early adopters are already exploring its potential. Given that quantum is a new paradigm with a learning curve for all organizations, those who get started now will gain a competitive advantage from quantum computing. Here are some ways it can help.
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