What CIOs Should Know About Quantum Computing
CIO Dive, Tuesday, September 8th, 2026
Quantum computing's rapid progress makes it a technology CIOs should watch, both for use cases and for its cybersecurity implications.
Quantum computing, long described as 10 years away, is now 'like 18 months away,' according to AWS's Michael Brett, with the market reaching $1.4 billion in 2025 and expected to more than double by 2028.
Gartner's Mark Horvath says enterprises should not buy quantum computers but rent time from vendors, and suggests assigning a point person to explore use cases in areas like logistics, finance and chemistry.
The bigger near-term issue is security: Gartner sees a 25% chance of a cryptographically relevant quantum computer by 2029, rising to 75% by 2031.
IBM advises using NIST's 2035 post-quantum migration timeline as a guide, inventorying encryption and asking vendors about quantum readiness.