Prediction: Co-Design Will Drive Industry-Specific Quantum Solutions, Accelerating Development of Application-Ready Systems
- Rationale and Impact: The co-design approach—where quantum hardware and software are developed in parallel and iteratively refined for particular applications—will accelerate the pathway from research to real-world quantum solutions. By engaging in early and sustained collaboration between hardware developers, software providers, and end-users, co-design will enable the creation of highly optimized quantum systems tailored to specific use cases, from chemistry and materials science to finance and logistics.
- Early Adoption and Industry Impact: In 2025, sectors with complex computational demands and high potential for quantum impact are likely to be the earliest adopters of co-designed quantum solutions. For instance:
- Drug Discovery and Healthcare: Quantum hardware optimized for simulating molecular interactions could vastly improve speed and accuracy in drug development.
- Finance and Logistics: Optimization problems in portfolio management, supply chains, and risk assessment are already benefiting from quantum-inspired approaches. With co-design, these industries could access hardware specifically optimized for combinatorial and probabilistic calculations.
- Supporting Insight: The potential of co-design in quantum computing is backed by recent trends in hybrid quantum-classical systems and specialized quantum software that make algorithm-hardware synergy more attainable. Initiatives like QuEra’s co-design programs and partnerships that focus on Quantum Error Correction (QEC) underscore the importance of a collaborative, application-focused approach.
- Challenges and Hurdles: While promising, co-design also demands significant alignment and investment from multiple stakeholders. The need for compatible software, customizable hardware configurations, and frequent feedback loops can be resource-intensive. Additionally, interoperability with existing classical infrastructure remains a challenge, as hybrid quantum-classical frameworks are still evolving.
To read the full list of our 2025 predictions, visit here.
.svg){kind=small}
.webp)
.webp)
