We Are at the Advent of Reliable Quantum Computing Era, Says Microsoft
Quantum computing stocks surged on Wednesday as a directive from Microsoft urging businesses to get “quantum-ready” in 2025, and as investors returned to “risk on” trades after December core inflation came in weaker than forecast. “We are at the advent of the reliable quantum computing era,” wrote Mitra Azizirad, president and chief operating officer of Microsoft’s strategic missions and technologies, in a blog post. “And we are right on the cusp of seeing quantum computers solve meaningful problems and capture new business value.”
Shares of Rigetti Computing shot up more than 13%, while D-Wave quantum surged 16%, IonQ climbed 26%, and the Defiance Quantum and AI ETF added nearly 2%. The rally was also fueled by Nvidia’s announcement of a “Quantum Day” at its GTC conference in March, which Microsoft’s program aims to help businesses prepare for the advent of the quantum computing era. Azizirad stated that this is a “critical and catalyzing time for business leaders to act,” and expects quantum research and development to rapidly accelerate over the next year.
This enthusiasm is fueled by the potential of quantum computing, which leverages quantum mechanics to solve complex problems faster than traditional computers. The field has gained momentum after Google’s breakthrough with its Willow quantum computing chip last year. However, some remain skeptical, with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang suggesting that useful quantum computers are decades away, and Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg further tempering expectations. Despite this, supporters believe that quantum computers will be able to conduct computing tasks traditional computers can’t, processing far more data.