Last week, I had the opportunity to represent HKA at the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ) Opening Ceremony at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. With its international reputation for artistic, scientific and diplomatic achievements, Paris was a fitting location for the event.

A distinguished lineup of high-level government officials, Nobel Laureates, academic leaders and top quantum company executives from across the globe assembled on February 4 and 5, totaling roughly 1,000 in-person and 2,500 virtual attendees.

When I attended the Q2B conference in Santa Clara, Calif. last month, I spoke to and heard from many different quantum technology experts.

My takeaway — the quantum industry is in a superposition of opinion regarding its future.

What do I mean by that?  Opinions varied so widely on what’s next for quantum computing and how soon we will see quantum advantage, that there was no consensus – not one bit of agreement between any two individuals.

When you add the adjective “quantum” in front of computing, suddenly the world of computers, so ubiquitous today, turns into a confusing, science fiction world to most people. In fact, the word “quantum” itself can send people down a rabbit hole of confusing terms like qubit, entanglement, and fidelity and echoes of other dimensions.

Early in my career I worked in international development. Both during school and fieldwork I found myself in regions where the lack of critical infrastructure limited technological progress. In many developing countries, there was a hopeful belief: once we secure electricity, we’ll get internet access simultaneously, leapfrogging into the modern tech ecosystem. This optimism suggested that these nations could quickly catch up with more developed countries and were just one step away.

Few, if any, industries offer the constant stream of exciting news that occurs in the quantum tech industry. Companies achieve groundbreaking milestones and one-up each other with regularity; governments and private investors place their bets on which technologies they believe will bring the best results and pay the biggest dividends; and quantum companies forge partnerships that empower each other within and beyond the industry.