A new contender is beginning to secure space on executive agendas as organisations think about technologies that could influence the next decade after AI, and the contender is: quantum computing.
87% of UK business leaders expect quantum computing to disrupt their sector by 2030. This is according to EY’s Quantum Business Readiness Report, produced with the National Quantum Computing Centre and after surveying 500 leaders from companies generating more than £150m in revenue, this is what they found:
That expectation has already turned into planning activity, with EY finding that 35% of UK business leaders have made quantum computing a strategic priority during the next five years.
Which Industries Are The Most Interested So Far?
Financial services recorded the highest level of interest, where 67% have given quantum computing that status, whereas real estate, hospitality and construction recorded a much lower figure of 17%.
The sectors involved are looking at business uses that could deliver commercial value. Banks and payment processors are assessing quantum computing for fraud detection and anti money laundering work, while automotive manufacturers are assessing how it could assist electric vehicle battery development and traffic management.
What makes the findings interesting is that executives seem convinced quantum computing will have a substantial impact on business operations, even though many do not expect that impact to arrive immediately.
If Executives Expect Disruption, Why Are They Not In A Rush?
The EY research brought up an interesting contradiction where almost 9 in 10 business leaders expect quantum computing to disrupt their sector by 2030, but 59% believe the technology will not mature enough to become important in core operations until 2030 or later.
That view can also be seen in hiring plans, with only 13% of UK business leaders intending to recruit the quantum talent they expect to need during the next two years.
But also, 83% believe losing competitive advantage is the main risk associated with failing to adopt the technology, creating an unusual gap between long term expectations and immediate action.
Piers Clinton Tarestad, Technology Risk Partner at EY UK, said, “Our latest report shows that, while UK businesses are continuing to invest in and evaluate the impact of quantum computing, expectations of its maturity remain cautious. This means that although long-term disruption from quantum computing is widely expected, including its impact on cybersecurity, the proportion of companies taking immediate steps to prepare remains relatively small.”
He also explained why many executives struggle to get started. “For some business leaders we speak to, hesitation stems from not knowing where to begin exploration. One effective first step is to identify one or two practical ways in which quantum can be used, linked to existing pain points, before assessing which teams or processes would be most affected, and any gaps in skills, tools or data.
“In the same way that an orchestra needs a conductor, effective quantum implementation needs a senior sponsor within a business with cross-functional oversight to coordinate efforts, secure resources, and help ensure quantum readiness becomes part of broader digital transformation plans.”
Early AI investment shares quite a few of these similarities, where many organisations recognised its long term value long before they committed substantial resources to it.
More from Artificial Intelligence
Could Cybersecurity Become Quantum’s First Big Battleground?
Many discussions about quantum computing revolve around scientific breakthroughs, but security specialists often view the technology through the risks it could create for existing systems.
EY found that 81% of business leaders see the outdating of existing IT systems as a business risk associated with quantum computing, while 80% identified future regulatory compliance as a risk.
David Holtzman, Chairman of Naoris Protocol, believes cybersecurity may become the area where quantum computing has its earliest commercial impact.
He said, “Quantum computing is absolutely a candidate for the next major technology wave after AI, but its impact will be felt most acutely through cybersecurity. If I were a CISO or CIO today, the first thing I’d do is audit where encryption is being used across the organisation. Most people would be shocked by how much of their business depends on cryptography.
“The same is true for AI. Most AI systems rely heavily on encryption to protect data, models, communications, and identities. If that encryption breaks in a quantum era, much of the trust underpinning those systems breaks with it. In many cases, if the encryption falls, so does the autonomous or agentic device relying on it.”
That perspective helps explain why quantum computing receives so much interest long before large scale commercial deployment becomes commonplace, particularly when security infrastructure can take years to replace.
Is Quantum Really The Next Wave After AI?
Perhaps the question itself misses what could happen.
Author Pranav Bhatnagar believes AI and quantum computing will develop together, instead of one replacing the other.
He said, “I don’t believe quantum computing is the next wave after AI. I think the two technologies will grow together, with AI becoming the bridge that helps bring quantum computing into practical use.”
Bhatnagar used electricity as an example, explaining that the technology existed long before smartphones transformed everyday life, but its biggest influence came when other technologies were built on top of it.
He believes quantum computing could follow a very similar path by finding commercial value through drug discovery, materials science, climate modelling, logistics and optimisation.
He also spoke about and warned on the timeline, saying, “That said, I think we’re still much earlier in the quantum journey than many headlines suggest. AI is already affecting businesses, jobs, education, healthcare, and cybersecurity today. Quantum computing still faces significant challenges around scalability, stability, cost, and practical deployment.”
His final observation may explain why business leaders are paying attention even though commercial use remains relatively low. He said, “The real opportunity is not asking whether quantum will replace AI. The bigger question is what becomes possible when AI and quantum computing eventually work together. That combination could unlock breakthroughs that are difficult to imagine using today’s technology alone.”
That may prove to be the most realistic outcome. AI has already entered everyday business life, whereas quantum computing is currently a technology that organisations are studying and/or budgeting for. The next decade may show that the biggest tech story was never AI versus quantum, but AI and quantum computing developing together.
