Connects decision-makers and solutions creators to what's next in quantum computing

International Year of Quantum Launched by UNInternational Year of Quantum Launched by UN

Industry experts weigh in on the significance of raising public awareness of quantum technologies

Berenice Baker, Editor, Enter Quantum, co-editor AI Business

February 4, 2025

22 Min Read
Flags of different countries fly outside the UN headquarters
Getty Images

The United Nations Tuesday officially inaugurated the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ25) at the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris.

The opening ceremony kicked off a two-day event marking the start of a global initiative to celebrate a century of quantum mechanics and its profound impact on modern technology.

It features keynote speeches by Nobel laureates, discussions on inclusivity and equity in science and panels exploring quantum science's contributions to sustainable development and ethical innovation.

The U.N. proclaimed 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology to highlight the importance of quantum science and its applications in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 sustainable development goals.

This year was chosen because 2025 marks 100 years since the initial development of quantum mechanics. It also marks a significant point in quantum computing and other quantum technologies achieving real-life applications.

Industry experts have weighed in on the significance of the event.

Mitra Azizirad, president and chief operating officer, Microsoft Strategic Missions and Technologies

"We are at the advent of the reliable quantum computing era, making this a critical time for business and government leaders to understand better the application and real-world business value quantum will open up.

Related:UN Declares 2025 International Year of Quantum Science, Technology

We are excited to partner with UNESCO and the American Physical Society to support the International Year of Quantum and engage with communities worldwide to scale awareness on how quantum science and applications will transform industries." 

Stefan Leichenauer, vice president of engineering, SandboxAQ

"The U.N.'s recognition of 100 years since the birth of quantum mechanics marks a significant milestone in scientific progress. Many modern technologies, from the laser to the MRI machine, are based on quantum principles. Today, we are approaching a level of mastery over the quantum world that will enable a whole new set of applications, including quantum computing.

It has taken 100 years to unlock all of this quantum potential because we had to wait for another major technology revolution: AI is the secret to unlocking all these new applications. With the rise of quantitative AI and large quantitative models, we can get unprecedented control over quantum devices, allowing us to address real-world challenges.

In 2025, we can expect to see new quantum technologies begin to hit the market in a big way, especially when it comes to quantum sensors, which will revolutionize industries such as health care and navigation."

Related:Lufthansa to Investigate Quantum Use Cases for Airline Operations

Karina Robinson, senior advisor, Multiverse Computing and founder of The City Quantum and AI Summit

"The IYQ25 will help bring quantum into the news feed and hopefully help the public understand that quantum hardware isn't the only story in town. Quantum software, quantum sensors and quantum communication have been advancing apace, while the overlap with AI is bringing great new opportunities."

Celia Merzbacher, executive director, QED-C

"At QED-C, we believe the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology will be critical to spreading the message of the potential of quantum technology to all corners of the globe. Our organization aims to grow the global quantum ecosystem, and while it is our passion, we recognize that for many people, quantum is an unfamiliar term.

Emphasizing all that quantum technology has done so far and all that it may do in the not-so-distant future will go a long way toward educating the public about quantum's value and helping spur more students to enter the field and more investment into the industry, thereby speeding progress toward a quantum-enabled future."

Krysta Svore, technical fellow and vice president, Microsoft Quantum

"Advancements in quantum technology are accelerating rapidly, and we stand on the brink of a transformative era.

Global initiatives like IYQ are essential to ensuring that people from all corners of the world can understand and harness quantum computing's incredible potential. By fostering widespread awareness and education, we can collectively prepare to leverage this revolutionary technology for the benefit of all humanity."

Chris Ballance, co-founder and CEO, Oxford Ionics

"Over the past year, we've seen the customer appetite for quantum computing switch on. But for the first time, 2025 will see quantum computers leave labs and research institutions and deploy into the networks and data centers of real-world customers. For quantum computing companies, this will be a real test of steel. The industry has been, at times, dominated by those who talk a good talk. This year, we'll see which companies can also walk the walk."

Azfar Aslam, vice president and chief technology officer, Nokia Europe

“With its ability to process complex datasets more efficiently, quantum computing will significantly enhance connectivity by rapidly optimizing network configurations and robustness. For instance, AI and quantum computing can facilitate faster and more accurate load balancing across networks, which is critical for data centers and cloud services that serve as the backbone of the modern Internet infrastructure. Imagine a world where cloud, communications networks and power grid utilization can be optimized simultaneously to move the workloads based on the type of power generated, such as renewables, the cost and availability of compute, as well as the path the data traverses. This harmonised optimisation will lead to a society where we can not only process even more data, but do so whilst also meeting the sustainability targets.

In addition, critical infrastructures will benefit greatly from quantum. For example, power utilities and transportation networks can enhance weather prediction and tracking, optimizing capacity needs. Similarly, public safety organizations can leverage advanced climate event predictions and risk modeling for improved preparedness. The mining and natural resources sector can also benefit from using quantum computing to identify more precise drilling locations with minimal environmental disruption, while financial services can refine trend analysis and investment modeling for better insights.

However, while quantum computing promises substantial benefits to world economies and societal operations, its arrival also presents challenges, particularly in relation to our current digital infrastructure. The most profound impact will be felt in cryptography, as these machines could render decades-old encryption methods obsolete, jeopardizing the security of digital infrastructure and economic systems worldwide. Developing and implementing quantum-safe networks will be crucial to mitigate these risks as this will not only safeguard critical infrastructure but also drive the emergence of new technologies, ushering in the era of the 'Quantum Economy.’

As we move to the new era of AI and the ‘Quantum Economy,’ the world will continue adapting to changing business needs, which require quantum-safe networks, faster connectivity, and more innovative technologies.”

Gabriela Styf Sjöman, MD of research and network strategy, BT

“Proclaimed the ‘International Year of Quantum’ by the United Nations, this milestone date marks the impact quantum mechanics has had over the past century and also recognizes its significance in setting the stage for the new wave of quantum innovation.

Quantum technologies will be a critical enabler of prosperous economies and societal growth. As such, Nation states are racing to develop and commercialize the opportunities that quantum technologies will bring. The UK is well and truly in the race. Ranked third in the world for the quality and impact of its scientific research and first in Europe for quantum start-ups and capital investment, the UK quantum economy already employs over 100,000 people and is growing. What’s more, the UK is ranked first in Europe for patents in quantum technologies. With this foundation, the UK is in a strong position - not only for quantum sector growth but also to establish quantum tech as an area of strategic sovereignty and capability.

BT is central to supporting the UK. With more than a decade of research and development spanning quantum secure communications, sensing, timing and computing, we’re looking at how to build a network for quantum technologies, how to optimize quantum technologies in our network and we’re supporting the development of standards and assurance to that the technology is trusted by our customers. We’ve already launched the world’s first commercial quantum secure communications metro network in London.

What’s critical now is that the UK aligns cutting-edge quantum research with robust commercial strategies and collaborative frameworks to unleash the value that a quantum enabled economy will bring."

Ted Letavic, corporate fellow, GlobalFoundries

"2025 is a turning point for quantum computing, not just because of the U.N.'s International Year of Quantum, but also because we're finally seeing decades of research translate into scalable manufacturing. We're working with partners to move quantum from theory to reality, from laboratory to foundry, proving that we can produce quantum components using current semiconductor processes. That's a game-changer.

One of the biggest obstacles to quantum has always been scaling—building reliable, cost-effective devices at volume. This year, we're starting to break through that barrier. We're moving beyond the 'science fiction' phase of exotic materials and lab prototypes into a time where quantum chips can be built using proven fabrication techniques. The innovations happening now will allow quantum platforms to tackle problems that today's supercomputers couldn't solve in a lifetime."

Todd Moore, vice president of data security products, Thales

"In 2024, the U.S. NIST released its first sets of post-quantum encryption algorithms. Before these standards were released, many enterprises needed help grasping the need for post-quantum cryptography (PQC).

NIST's standards have brought urgency to address the impact of quantum advancements and the need to address these threats. Even though the TLS and SSH protocols have been updated to meet NIST's new standards, NIST is already working on its next set of algorithms, meaning that the algorithms implemented today will be different by the time the threat of quantum computing arrives. This points to the importance of crypto agility in adapting to these evolving security recommendations."

Chris Erven, CEO and co-founder, KETS Quantum Security

"Beyond the scientific achievements, which we welcome celebrating, the U.N. officially naming 2025 as the Year of Quantum must also serve as a wake-up call to the looming threat posed to global security. It's particularly pertinent as the tech industry seems convinced quantum computers are two decades away. Realistically, the first will come online in the next five years. The only question is which country will develop one first. 'Year of Quantum' isn't just a slogan; it's proof that the time is now to future-proof secure connectivity and communication."

Joseph Carson, chief security scientist and advisory CISO, Delinea

"2025 is set to be the year when people wake up not only to the potential of quantum technology but also become acutely aware of the threats it opens doors to. As cyber adversaries continue to use AI and other advanced technologies to break into systems, it will be critical for current cryptography to evolve and prevent access for unauthorized individuals. This is critical, especially for persistent data, such as health or financial records, that must be retained and protected for the next 10-15 years. 

While authentication remains important, we see authorization as an emerging and continued trend that will help organizations face the current challenges posed by new technologies. With the introduction of digital wallets that hold identity documents and passkeys internally, authorization will move outside organizations and create an external layer of protection." 

Tim Callan, chief compliance officer, Sectigo

"Transitioning to quantum-resistant cryptography will become a mainstream boardroom discussion. No longer a buzzword or a topic to be tabled, becoming crypto-agile to prepare for post-quantum encryption will be a key focus for the C-suite this year. This shift has massively been supported by NIST's development of quantum-resistant encryption and its impactful educational campaign on quantum's threat to decryption. They have now transformed a once theoretical discussion about decryption into a mainstream business focus."

Graeme Malcolm, CEO and founder, M Squared Lasers

"Although the quantum sector is often subject to hype and sensationalized 'breakthroughs,' real progress is happening. We're moving beyond theoretical milestones toward practical applications, with quantum predicted to unlock $850 billion in economic value by 2040 in fields including drug discovery, materials science and climate modeling.

As with all frontier technology, the path ahead is yet to be determined, and new discoveries will continue to shift expectations and timelines. However, what is certain is that as quantum continues to progress, the scale of investment, infrastructure, and scientific progress required will make global and industry collaboration essential."

Daniel Shiu, chief cryptographer, Arqit

"This is a defining moment for technology. As quantum computing progresses, it challenges the effectiveness of current cryptographic systems. Organizations must review their encryption protocols as soon as possible. Many are still unaware of what methods are in place – but as quantum technology advances, it's important to prioritize which systems need updating.

While the encryption of something like a Daytime Protocol may not be an immediate concern, securing sensitive data – such as the migration of file services to the cloud – should be a top priority. Given quantum's potential to redefine encryption security, businesses must act decisively now to minimize the impact of security disruptions later."

Kevin Curran, IEEE senior member and professor of cybersecurity, Ulster University

"This marks a pivotal moment for the science, technology and engineering industries. It acknowledges the progress that has been made, largely driven by improvements in qubit quality, error rates and scalability. Over the past few years, the availability of quantum computing through cloud services has also democratized access, enabling more widespread research and development. There has been considerable growth in hybrid quantum-classical algorithms, which combine classical and quantum computing strengths to tackle complex problems.

"All these developments signal a shift towards more practical and impactful quantum computing applications for 2025 and beyond. The development of new quantum algorithms could significantly enhance the utility of quantum computers. Predicting a near-term breakthrough in quantum computing is complex due to the interplay of technological advancements and theoretical innovations. While many experts suggest that practical, scalable quantum computers that consistently outperform classical systems may still be a few years away, there is optimism about achieving specific milestones soon."

Jon West, senior associate at Reddie & Grose

"When we talk about quantum technology, people's minds often jump straight to the hype in quantum computers and maybe even quantum cryptography. While there is still much innovative work to do in improving qubit stability and quantum error correction for quantum computers, lesser-known technology in quantum sensing applications is ready to revolutionize many different sectors. For example, it includes medical brain imaging devices through quantum-enabled systems for positioning, navigation, and timing that can improve performance in indoor/underwater environments and overcome signal disruption/hostile jamming concerns.

The U.N.'s International Year of Quantum will raise public awareness of the impact that applications of quantum science are already having and provide an opportunity to deepen the global partnerships and funding needed to unleash the quantum revolution across the globe."

Rahul Tyagi, CEO, SECQAI

"2025 marks a pivotal year for the field of quantum science as we celebrate a century since the foundational principles of quantum mechanics were first established. The U.N.'s declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Quantum underscores the transformative potential of quantum technologies in addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time. From revolutionizing computing and cryptography to enhancing precision in medical diagnostics and environmental monitoring, quantum science is poised to drive unprecedented advancements across various sectors. This global recognition not only highlights the achievements of the past but also sets the stage for future innovations that will shape the next century.

The convergence of public and private efforts in quantum research and development will accelerate the commercialization of quantum technologies, fostering economic growth and societal benefits. By raising public awareness and encouraging international cooperation, the U.N.'s initiative will help bridge the gap between scientific discovery and practical application, ensuring that the benefits of quantum advancements are accessible to all. This year is a testament to the remarkable journey of quantum science and a call to action for continued investment and exploration in this groundbreaking field."

Ashish Devalekar, senior vice president and head of Europe, Mphasis

"One hundred years ago, quantum physics changed the way how we understand the sub-atomic realm. This pivotal discovery has been a game changer for technology ever since. The last decade has seen pivotal moments in the area of quantum computing, communication, and sensing. The gradual but accelerating pace of inventions and discoveries continued in 2024 with NIST finalizing the post-quantum cryptography (PQC) algorithms; scalable error correction frameworks by the likes of Google for a fault-tolerant quantum computer (FTQC) and new technology roadmaps; algorithmic discoveries for FTQC era; significant progress in hybrid quantum-classical and quantum-inspired technology among many others.

2025 will build on this continued progress, starting with the adoption of PQC and quantum key distribution (QKD) by industry. Pharmaceutical, financial services and logistics sectors will see increased exploration of quantum-enhanced optimization, simulation, and AI in preparation for the transition to the post-quantum era. This transition in the short term will be led by the technical maturity achieved in hybrid quantum-classical and quantum-inspired systems and in the long term by FTQC, which will be nearer by 2025, thanks to scalable architecture enabled through modular design and error correction. Academia has been at the forefront of R&D and talent development in this field and 2025 will see a growth in quantum-ready engineers, researchers, and business experts. Such growth in talent is required to complement the corresponding increase in the utilization of quantum cloud services in 2025 for use case R&D and implementation."

Mandy Birch, founder and CEO, TreQ

"2024 saw enormous strides made in quantum computing. Google's Willow Chip, for example, solved a complex calculation in under five minutes that would have taken the fastest supercomputer around ten septillion years. As innovation accelerates, early adopters of quantum will disproportionately benefit, reaping up to 90% of its value.As a result, the interest and investment from governments, organizations, and institutions will continue at pace into 2025. This is underscored by the year marking the U.N.'s International Year of Quantum. For governments, organizations, and enterprises looking to seize upon quantum computing's potential, there has never been a better time than now."

Greg Wetmore, vice president of product development, Entrust

"The timing of the U.N. declaring 2025 the International Year of Quantum could not be more prescient. A sea change is currently underway within the technology industry regarding post-quantum readiness, particularly as it relates to post-quantum security. The discussion around post-quantum was once theoretical. Now, the considerations are more practical, with companies asking what they need to do to prepare and how to do so.This is reflected in a changing regulatory approach to post-quantum, with NIST AND publishing the first three cryptographic standards designed to resist an attack from quantum computers in August 2024, in addition to the European Union's NIS2 recommendations on quantum-safe encryption, which came into force in October 2024.This is a positive development, but one which organizations need to match by readying their security infrastructure for the post-quantum transition now. This requires the preparation of a comprehensive and agile cryptographic strategy, helping to identify and protect locations where sensitive data is housed, and to safely switch these protections to quantum-resistant algorithms when required.The reality on the ground, however, indicates a worrying lack of readiness: 27% of organizations have yet to consider the post-quantum threat, and 23% are aware but haven't started planning. Hopefully, the publicity the International Year of Quantum will generate will encourage organizations to ready their security infrastructure for the transition as soon as possible."

Fred Huet, partner, Altman Solon

We are on the cusp of a quantum computing revolution, which will deliver many game-changing applications across markets, sectors, and disciplines – including financial services, life sciences, and materials sciences. While AI gets all the hype, quantum computing is making its own significant advancements in technology and represents a burgeoning commercial market. Quantum computing investment is also poised to surpass $2 billion globally in 2025, and this surge in capital is flowing through the quantum computing space, from equipment manufacturers to component providers and algorithm designers. Altman Solon’s recent report on quantum computing investment opportunities identified three focus areas – R&D, hardware, and computer services – that are ready for growth and investment immediately.

Adam Everspaugh, cryptography advisor, Keeper Security

"Celebrating 100 years since the development of quantum mechanics brings heightened attention to the advances in quantum science and their potential to reshape industries. One of the most pressing areas of concern for cryptography is the development of quantum-resistant cryptography (QRC). As quantum computing progresses, traditional public key cryptography, including RSA and elliptic curve cryptography, are vulnerable to being broken by quantum algorithms. With the accelerating pace of quantum research, 2025 serves as a critical point for accelerating the adoption of QRC, ensuring that sensitive data and communications are protected against future quantum threats. 

The growing global recognition of quantum's transformative power makes it clear that preparing for quantum security is no longer a distant challenge, but an immediate priority. The store-now, decrypt-later threat, where attackers collect encrypted data today to decrypt it in the future using more advanced quantum technology, is very real. While fully capable quantum computers may still be a decade or more away, leaders in the cybersecurity industry are acting now to mitigate risks, as transitioning encryption standards across industries takes years."

Seán McGarraghy, associate professor, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School

A major research area right now is quantum computing, using the nonclassical resource of entangled quantum states. As well as true quantum computers—both digital, using qubits, and annealers—we can (inefficiently) simulate quantum computers on classical computers. 

Quantum algorithms are provably more efficient on certain problems than classical computers can be, e.g., Shor's factorization algorithm is fast enough that standard encryption used in internet transactions may be breakable in a few years.  Hybrids of classical and quantum computers have been proposed, where each component works on the part of the problem it is most efficient at. In 2025, quantum annealers are being used in problems ranging from supply chain logistics to quantized bubbles in false vacuum decay of the universe, and digital quantum computers are used on operations research problems such as the travelling salesperson problem.

However, quantum states suffer from decoherence, where entanglement ‘leaks’ into the environment, leading to noise and errors. To address this, quantum error correction (QEC) combines multiple entangled physical qubits into one logical qubit with a longer coherence time. Current QEC schemes require that each logical qubit comprise about 1000 physical qubits for acceptable error rates; but current quantum computers only have just over 1000 physical bits. This current scenario is called noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ).

To be practically useful, we need quantum processing units (QPUs) of 100 logical qubits or more. Improvements being actively researched include bosonic codes, cat qubits (based on Schrödinger's feline, made of two coherent but opposite cubits), and machine learning for the preparation of states. Cat qubits resist decoherence, showing an exponential decrease in bit-flip errors and only a linear increase in other errors, and are a step towards real-time error-correcting logical qubits.

Other necessary steps include networking multiple logical qubits into quantum gates and correcting computational errors. Error rates of 1 in 100,000 have been reported, with 1 in ten million considered the target. A real QPU may be less than a decade away. Thus, in 2025, we are on the cusp of going past NISQ, achieving the improved error-correcting needed for real-world quantum computing applications.

Wenmiao Yu, co-founder and director of business development, Quantum Dice

"This year is a great opportunity to stimulate cross-sector collaboration. The more we can foster positive relationships between key players in the quantum industry and critical infrastructure, the quicker we can bring products to market and for the public to benefit from their impact. We have already seen leading companies like HSBC and EY adopt BT's quantum metro network, which enhances communications security. 2025 is a good time for more industries to embrace quantum readiness."

Peter Thompson, CEO, National Physical Laboratory

“The International Year of Quantum comes at a pivotal moment as leaders accelerate efforts to harness the revolutionary potential of this technology. Recent moves by the government to channel investment into major research hubs like Oxford and Cambridge highlight the urgency to not only develop this critical technology but cement the UK’s leading position as a global quantum leader.

With a rich history of innovation and collaboration, world-leading academic institutions, research centers, and more quantum organizations and private investment than any other country except US, the UK is uniquely positioned to drive the next phase of quantum development.

Quantum computing will solve some of the most complex challenges of today – from helping to tackle climate change to advancing healthcare outcomes to boosting quality of life for communities globally, particularly those in developing nations.

With estimates suggesting that the global quantum industry could be worth over $1 trillion by 2035, it is set to be an engine for prosperity for the UK, creating high-value jobs, increased investment, and strengthening the nation’s global standing in one of the most transformative technology races of our time. Encouraging quantum development provides benefits that span beyond the UK – it will fast track the delivery of an accessible solution to regions that need it most.

As we celebrate the International Year of Quantum, now is the time to translate potential into progress through ongoing investment, leading research and industry collaboration, ensuring the quantum promise becomes a reality for all.”

JT Janssen, chief scientist  and co-director of the Quantum Metrology Institute, National Physical Laboratory

“The emergence of the field of quantum mechanics in the early 20th century revolutionized our understanding of physics and the world around us. In the following 100 years we have made great strides in harnessing this new theoretical understanding to drive innovations and technological development. The benefits of these advancements are already being felt today. Technologies including MRI, GPS, atomic clocks, computers and mobile phone would not be possible without an understanding of quantum mechanics.

As research continues to push the frontier of the possible, new methods to measure and observe our findings have been developed, to unlock the next phase of quantum research. As with any emerging technology, development has been a complex process. Significant physical hurdles have, and still need to be overcome, from developing sensors effective at a sensitivity far beyond what is possible today, to overcoming material-related barriers, and shortages of talent.

Breaking through these barriers has only been possible through sustained investment, international cooperation, and world-leading research, and we are in a strong position to make these applications a reality. While the journey will not be quick, the progress being made today lays a critical foundation for future breakthroughs.”

About the Author

Berenice Baker

Editor, Enter Quantum, co-editor AI Business, Informa TechTarget

Berenice is the editor of Enter Quantum and co-editor of AI Business. She has over 20 years of experience as a technology journalist, having previously worked at The Engineer and Global Defence Technology.

Before that, she worked as an IT consultant, fuelling her passion for technology and innovation. She graduated with one of the country's first-ever IT degrees so long ago it coincided with Tim Berners-Lee inventing the World Wide Web.

Berenice lives in north London with her cat Huxley. In her spare time, she enjoys going to music gigs, museums and galleries, dabbling in art and playing guitar (badly).

Sign Up for the Newsletter
The most up-to-date news and insights into the latest emerging technologies ... delivered right to your inbox!

You May Also Like