Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence Sharing Center Stage in Investment Spotlight
John Prisco, the CEO and founder of Safe Quantum Inc., is working with data-driven companies to develop and deploy quantum-safe technologies. Recently, comments from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg have caused some doubt among investors about the near-term practicality of quantum computing, leading to declines in quantum computing stocks.
At CES 2025, Huang suggested that the development of highly functional quantum computers is likely 15 to 30 years away. During an interview on the Joe Rogan podcast, Zuckerberg echoed Huang’s sentiments, stating that quantum computing is "still quite a ways off from being a very useful paradigm."
These cautious outlooks influenced investor sentiment, resulting in notable stock declines for quantum companies like Rigetti Computing, D-Wave Quantum Inc., IonQ Inc., and Quantum Computing Inc. These declines reflect growing investor skepticism about the immediate commercial viability of quantum computing technologies.
However, the CEO of IonQ, Peter Chapman, disagreed with these views and issued guidance in mid-January, laying out specific goals and an updated timeline that is ambitious and challenging.
Despite these recent doubts, quantum technologies are critical to protecting encryption and public key cryptography, and companies like Microsoft are encouraging businesses to prepare for a “quantum-ready” future with technologies such as quantum key distribution for quantum-protected data.
There is also momentum around the development of distributed quantum computing, which could enable quantum communications within a data center and link multiple quantum computers, making them strong enough to become cryptographically relevant.
Cisco recently published a compelling approach to designing scalable quantum networks, which can expedite the utility of quantum computers beyond one machine. This approach mirrors classical data center models, offering scalable, centralized resources with improved efficiency and reduced costs.
While AI may currently enjoy broader mainstream recognition, quantum computing offers both near-term opportunity and long-term potential, especially in terms of security today for potential threats in the future. Investors should look at quantum companies that show commercial applications today and at industries such as financial services, research, and utilities, where traction is already being seen. Quantum computing can also be a powerful enhancement for AI, eventually solving optimization problems, improving machine learning algorithms, and accelerating AI training processes.
Overall, while the development timeline for highly functional quantum computers is a topic of debate among tech leaders, the general optimism about quantum computing's potential and its rapid development could positively influence the stock market for companies involved in this sector.
In contrast to the cautious outlooks of Huang and Zuckerberg, John Prisco remains committed to deploying quantum-safe technologies by 2025 with Safe Quantum Inc. Despite the recent stock declines in companies like Rigetti Computing and IonQ, the potential of quantum computing in securing encryption and public key cryptography remains evident, with companies like Microsoft encouraging a "quantum-ready" future. Cisco's approach to designing scalable quantum networks is a testament to the long-term potential of quantum computing, offering efficiency and cost reduction, especially in AI applications.
