- Pro
AI is reshaping society in real time, and many expect quantum computing to one day do the same — but not for some time yet
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Getty Images / Bloomberg)
- Copy link
- X
- Threads
The quantum computing race has started to heat up in recent years as big tech companies and university research teams (often in collaboration) have embarked on refining the weird and wonderful technology of quantum computing. Google, like IBM, Amazon, and other entities, is at the heart of this.
“The progress is so exciting. I would say quantum is there where maybe AI was five years ago. So I think in five years from now we’ll be going through a very exciting phase in quantum, and we are investing with a view towards that.”— Sundar Pichai, November 2025The impact of technology
Five years ago, AI was still a term we used to describe simple machine learning functions and neural network-based research projects. Now, it's used to describe a wave of technologies that are reshaping society.
Quote of the dayThis article is part of TechRadar Pro's QOTD project to provide an insight into the minds of the brightest and most recognized figures in the technology industry today and in years gone by. Read the full series here.
Sundar Pichai, whose own company oversees a sophisticated and promising quantum computing roadmap, spoke of the overall quantum journey the industry is undertaking in an interview with the BBC late last year.
Latest Videos FromWatch full video here: You may like
-
Quantum’s “ChatGPT moment” is coming - and it won’t be driven by hardware
-
Forget the AI Armageddon—quantum computing is the real threat to digital security
-
Silicon-based qubits have a clear advantage in race to million-qubit quantum computer
The role of AI in work, socializing, and creativity, among other areas, is profound. Many expect quantum's incredible processing capabilities to transform many areas of life, although many of these use cases are consigned to research and scientific endeavors.
Roadmapping quantum computing's ascendency
The holy grail in the roadmap that many legacy tech companies and newfangled startups born out of college labs are chasing is a fully fault-tolerant quantum computer that can outpace the fastest supercomputers in useful, real-world calculations.
It's not enough for the machine to simply be packed with as many qubits as possible, because they're far more error-prone than regular computing bits. Without proper error correction measures (which scientists are busy investigating), calculations cannot sustain momentum and fall apart before they can be useful.
In December 2024, Google became the first company to achieve "below threshold" error correction, meaning (in theory) the more qubits you add to a system, the more errors are removed – not added as they are now. With so many industry players making comparable breakthroughs today, it doesn't mean Google will be the first to give quantum computing its 'ChatGPT' moment within, say, five years.
Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletterContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. TOPICS Google
Keumars Afifi-SabetFreelance ContributorKeumars Afifi-Sabet is a freelance contributor for Tech Radar and the Technology Editor for Live Science. He has written for a variety of publications including ITPro, The Week Digital and ComputerActive. He has worked as a technology journalist for more than five years, having previously held the role of features editor with ITPro. In his previous role, he oversaw the commissioning and publishing of long form in areas including AI, cyber security, cloud computing and digital transformation.
View MoreYou must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
Logout Read more
Pro
Quantum’s “ChatGPT moment” is coming - and it won’t be driven by hardware
Pro
Forget the AI Armageddon—quantum computing is the real threat to digital security
Pro
Silicon-based qubits have a clear advantage in race to million-qubit quantum computer
Pro
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai says 'AI shift' makes this a great time to invest in new start-ups
Pro
Quantum Q-Day could disrupt the world even sooner than AGI
Pro
What quantum technology can learn from AI’s development
Latest in Pro
Pro
“AI is now useful”: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang thinks a new era for AI is here
Pro
How a former Facebook whistleblower is being silenced 'regardless of whether what she says is true'
Pro
Exactly 17 years ago, the first Nvidia-powered Windows laptop made its debut at Computex
Security
Rapid7 observes new Palo Alto VPN flaw exploited in the wild to bypass GlobalProtect authentication
Pro
Top business & office tech of the month: the best business gear we've tested for June 2026
Security
Compromised Red Hat npm packages downloaded over 80,000 times in one week – supply chain attack still ongoing
Latest in Opinion
CPU
Intel says it 'welcomes the competition' from Nvidia's new RTX Spark CPU
Gemini
Gemini warned me humans might review my chats — but opting out hurts
Pro
AR glasses are here – and displays are defining their future
Pro
The cyber risk framework protecting your organization wasn't built for this adversary
Pro
Solving the enterprise data optimization problem
Pro
The hidden enterprise security risk of consumer-grade tools
LATEST ARTICLES- 1“AI is now useful”: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang thinks a new era for AI is here
- 2Want a Runna membership for free? All you have to do to get 2 weeks free is log a 5k on Strava on June 3
- 3Anonymous video chat app leaks data on millions of users — more than 22 million records exposed, including 3 million containing names and email addresses
- 4Massive Las Vegas Sphere competitors’ debut in China with simpler setups and a Temu-like, 92% lower price point
- 5I’ve played with Lego’s new Pokémon Smart Play sets