The IBM Institute for Business Value released the report Journey to Quantum Advantage. In it, the company describes quantum advantage not as a single milestone for the entire market, but as the ability to solve specific problems more accurately, cheaply, or efficiently than classical methods.
Study Insights
The report is based on interviews with representatives from the aerospace, finance, biomedicine, energy, automotive, education, and public sectors. According to the authors, early market participants increasingly evaluate quantum computing through practical scenarios rather than abstract benchmarks.
IBM identified three reasons companies are pursuing quantum computing:
- seeking solutions for complex business challenges — 60%;
- preparing computational strategies for future changes — 55%;
- accelerating innovation — 54%.
The report links quantum readiness not only to technological development but also to the role of practical tasks, skills, and partnerships. Quantum advantage is described as a milestone whose timing will depend on specific scenarios and industries.
The main barriers to adoption identified by the authors include:
- lack of quantum skills — 61%;
- immaturity of the technology — 56%;
- unclear timelines for the emergence of practical scenarios — 46%.
IBM noted that companies face not only technical limitations but also questions of return on investment, internal competencies, and selecting tasks where quantum methods can provide measurable results.
Existing Use Cases
Boeing views quantum computing through the lens of quantum chemistry and materials science. The company associates potential advantage not with a single technological breakthrough but with applications in aircraft design, testing, and certification. For such calculations, explainability, validation, and the ability to use results in an operational environment are crucial.
Vanguard began quantum experiments in 2022, exploring hybrid quantum-classical approaches for anti-money laundering, risk modeling, and portfolio optimization. According to Vanguard’s Head of Emerging Technologies Research Bimal Mehta, advantage is meaningful only when it helps solve client problems rather than merely demonstrating a technological milestone.
E.ON tested quantum methods for optimization, quantum machine learning, and scenario modeling. The pilots showed potential but also revealed limitations of current equipment: shallow circuit depth, limited qubit count, and inability to surpass established classical methods. Consequently, the company revised its roadmap, shifting focus to long-term preparation.
Bosch underwent a similar phase. After early demonstrations on noisy quantum devices, the company encountered issues with scaling, noise, and limited qubit connectivity. Its program now focuses on algorithms and workflows for future fault-tolerant systems.
Biomedicine
In the biomedical section, IBM highlighted Yonsei University, where quantum resources are used alongside classical supercomputers for bioscience tasks, including mitochondrial processes and electronic structures. Yonsei Quantum Initiative Director Jae Ho Chung noted that drug development takes about 15 years, and even a 10% or 20% reduction in this timeframe could significantly impact the industry.
The Wellcome Sanger Institute and University of Oxford are exploring quantum methods for pangenomics. The report states that in April 2026, the Quantum Pangenomics team uploaded the complete genome of the hepatitis D virus onto a 156-qubit IBM Heron processor.
Role of Partnerships
IBM emphasized ecosystems—partnerships between businesses, governments, universities, equipment suppliers, and research organizations. According to the report, every second quantum-ready organization participates in at least one such collaboration.
Examples include Volkswagen, Chicago State University, BasQ, Tokyo Electron, Bradesco, and Singapore. IBM describes the current market stage as a period of experimentation, skill-building, and preparation for future practical scenarios. The report does not claim that quantum advantage is equally close for all industries or has already become a mainstream business tool.
In June, researchers ran the IBM Nighthawk quantum processor through two practical tests: a simplified particle physics model and malicious traffic filtering.
Earlier, experts discussed a new approach to finding quantum error correction codes using large language models.
