Quantum Advantage: IBM Focuses on Business Problems, Not Records
The IBM Institute for Business Value has released a new report, "Journey to Quantum Advantage," which radically redefines the concept of quantum supremacy. Instead of a race for abstract computing records, the corporation suggests the market focus on specific, measurable business outcomes. According to IBM analysts, quantum advantage is not a single milestone for everyone, but the ability to solve a particular problem more accurately, cheaply, or quickly than classical algorithms.
Three Key Motivations and Main Barriers
The study, based on interviews with representatives from the aerospace industry, finance, energy, biomedicine, and the public sector, identified three main drivers for adopting quantum computing: finding solutions for complex business problems (60% of respondents), preparing IT strategies for future changes (55%), and accelerating innovation (54%). However, the path to practical benefits is fraught with obstacles. The main ones are an acute shortage of qualified personnel in quantum technologies (61% of respondents), the immaturity of the hardware itself (56%), and uncertainty about the timeline for the emergence of applied scenarios (46%).
Practical Cases: From Boeing to Pharmaceuticals
The report is replete with examples of how large corporations are already testing quantum methods today. Boeing, for instance, sees potential not in record qubit counts, but in applying quantum chemistry to design new materials and certify aircraft. Since 2022, Vanguard has been experimenting with hybrid quantum-classical approaches to combat money laundering and optimize portfolios. Notably, at E.ON and Bosch, initial pilots encountered limitations of noisy devices—shallow circuit depth and limited qubit connectivity—which forced them to adjust their roadmaps toward long-term preparation for fault-tolerant systems.
Special attention in the report is given to biomedicine. Researchers from Yonsei University and the Wellcome Sanger Institute are already using quantum resources to model molecular processes and pangenomics. In April 2026, the Quantum Pangenomics team loaded the complete genome of the hepatitis D virus onto a 156-qubit IBM Heron processor. Even a 10% reduction in the 15-year drug development cycle could radically transform the industry.
Ecosystem as a Foundation
IBM emphasizes that the success of quantum transformation is impossible without partnerships. Every second organization demonstrating quantum readiness is already involved in alliances with universities, governments, and equipment suppliers. Examples include Volkswagen, Bradesco, Tokyo Electron, and Singapore.
My comment: The market is finally moving away from the hype of "quantum supremacy" as an arms race. Real progress will be measured not by the number of qubits, but by the number of successfully solved business problems where a quantum computer proves its superiority over a classical one. The current stage is "quantum maturity" for businesses, and those who start building competencies and partnerships today will be leaders in 5-7 years.