Examining Quantum, And Its Impact On The Future Of Tech
Image Details: Stock Image of An Atom in Quantum Superposition, from Squarespace
* NOTE: none of the info in this article or ANY article of MacroBytes is investment advice or political opinion, it is solely informational for editorial purposes
Overview
As of October 23, 2025, the Trump administration announced that it was in deal talks with quantum computing companies such as IonQ, D-Wave Systems, and Rigetti Computing, on taking equity stake in these companies in exchange for funding. While the nature of these deals is yet to be announced, this funding would help these quantum companies heavily expand their research when it comes to designing economically viable and feasible computers that have use cases beyond theoretical research. While AI remains all the hype in 2025 by companies and the general public alike, in this article, we will examine what’s next to come, particularly regarding quantum computing. The goal is to demystify what quantum even is, and how the principles that govern atoms and molecules in physics are being applied to computing to enhance problem-solving and decision making.
What Is Quantum Physics
Describing quantum physics in its entirety in a single article is quite frankly impossible. However, when understanding the concept from a high-level, “quantum” is a way of describing the state of atoms and molecules. Unlike humans and the physical world around us, atoms behave in a “quantum” state - a state in which they can exist in multiple states at the same time.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) uses a useful analogy to describe the “quantum” state: In our everyday world, you can only be in one place at a time — like standing on one rung of a ladder. But in the quantum world, tiny particles like atoms can “stand” on multiple rungs at the same time. That’s called superposition, (NIST, Quantum Computing Explained). An atom can remain in superposition until it is disturbed by the physical world, after which it will collapse to a single state (being on one rung of a ladder).
Image Details: From NIST, Quantum Computing Explained Article: https://www.nist.gov/quantum-information-science/quantum-computing-explained
To put simply, the idea of quantum superposition, which is a core concept of quantum computing, is that elements can exist in a multiple states (imagine a person in two locations at the same time), until they are disturbed, in which they collapse to a singular state. Atoms can exist in superposition but also in entanglement. Entanglement is the idea that multiple atoms are “entangled” with one another, or in other words, are completely dependent on each other. If one of atom is in superposition, so is the other, and the moment one atom is disturbed, the other one also collapses into a singular position.
To provide an analogy: Imagine you have a pair of magic dice. No matter how far apart they are — one in New York and one in Tokyo — if you roll one and it lands on a 6, the other instantly lands on a 6 too. In the quantum world, when two particles become entangled, their properties get linked in exactly that kind of way. Even if they’re separated by miles, changing or measuring one instantly affects the other.
Now you may be asking the question, what does this “quantum superposition/entanglement” idea have anything to do with computers, and how is this seemingly unrealistic concept that sounds more like a fictional fairy tail then reality at the epicenter of multi-billion dollar government deals? To answer this question, it’s important to understand how computers work, and how their basic hardware infrastructure can be compared to quantum physics.
What Are Quantum Computers
A classical computer is nothing but a machine that processes, stores, and splits out data (NIST, Quantum Computing Explained). In normal, everyday computers, information is processed in bits, which at the “data” and “software” level is nothing but 0s and 1s, while at the hardware level are tiny switches, magnets, or capacitors (electrical charges with + or - polarity) stored within a computer’s Random Access Memory (RAM). These bits can only exist in a single state: 0 or 1, on or off, positive or negative, etc. Unlike regular computers, quantum computers apply the concepts of superposition and entanglement that define quantum physics, and apply it to computing. First of all, although quantum physics is hard to conceptualize and seems like fictional magic, it’s important to remember that these are concepts that govern atoms, not the physical world we see.
In quantum computing, we deal with quantum bits or qubits, which can behave differently: a qubit can be in a state of 0 and 1 at the same time (this is called superposition). The quantum state is also affected by entanglement (two qubits linked in such a way that the state of one affects the other) and interference (quantum states adding/subtracting) - these are concepts from quantum mechanics. The benefits of a qubit, versus regular bits is immense: Because qubits can hold more “combinational possibilities” than classical bits, a quantum computer can—in principle—solve certain kinds of problems much faster than classical computers.
Here’s another simple analogy: imagine a classical computer looking for a key in one drawer at a time, while a quantum computer can somehow peek into many drawers simultaneously (thanks to superposition) and use interference/entanglement to zero in on the right drawer faster. In summary, quantum computers are far more powerful due to applying quantum principles to optimize problem-solving in the real-world. Particularly, they can be used to boost drug discovery, cryptography, machine-learning tasks, etc. from a time, money, and accuracy standpoint.
Visualized: Quantum Vs. Classical Computing
Quantum, Explained Simply
From “weird physics” to why governments care — a 60-second tour.
Why this matters now
U.S. policymakers are exploring equity stakes in quantum-computing firms. That signals quantum is being treated like strategic infrastructure — not just lab science.
Many rungs at once
Everyday objects stand on one ladder rung at a time. Tiny particles can be on multiple rungs at once. That “mixed” state is superposition. When measured, it settles on one rung.
Visual: the “dot” appears low and high until observed.
Linked dice
Two particles can be so tightly linked that measuring one instantly sets the other, no matter the distance — like magic dice that always match. That link is entanglement.
Bits → Qubits
Classical bits are 0 or 1. Qubits can be 0 and 1 (superposition) and can be linked (entanglement). Used together, they can explore many possibilities at once and interfere to find useful answers faster for certain problems.
Analogy: Instead of opening drawers one by one, quantum can “peek” into many at once.
Sources: NIST “Quantum Computing Explained”.
Why Are Quantum Computers Not Widely Used?
While quantum computers are immensely powerful, they are not widely in use for a variety of reasons. For one, just like classical computers store bits via hardware through switches and capacitors, quantum computers must store qubits in a superposition and entangled state at the same time via hardware. This is not only immensely difficult and expensive, but also poses a a high margin of error - even if one qubit is removed out of superposition, the entire hardware infrastructure reverts back to single state bits (aka classical computers) due to the entanglement of bits. However, due to immense technological innovation in the ways qubits are stored, this “margin of error” is decreasing rapidly, and quantum computers in 2025 are far more reliable than even 5 years ago. Further in the article, we will discuss the key players in quantum computing and how they handle qubit storage.
In addition to qubit storage, quantum computers are really not viable for day-to-day users. There is no reason for a day-to-day computer user like me or you to require a quantum computer to browse the web, access social media, etc. Quantum computers are reserved almost exclusively for industry use cases in fields with immense complex data, algorithms, and pattern recognition. Even in these industries, quantum computers still exhibit too high a margin for error to always be economically feasible.
However, this is all changing very rapidly. With the advent of cloud computing, companies such as Google and IBM have already allowed users and institutions to have remote access to their quantum computers. For example, just as you or I would utilize ChatGPT via the cloud, companies can now do the same with quantum computers to test their own algorithms, datasets, and models. Additionally, with the advent of AI and complex LLMs, cybersecurity risks, and the age of data, quantum computers are becoming more and more viable from a use case standpoint. Whether it’s decoding LLM hallucinations to improve AI models, ensuring companies are equipped with strong encryptions to withstand post-quantum algorithm security hacks, or quickly parsing through complex datasets entangled within Software as a Service (SaaS) infrastructure, the use cases of quantum are finally being realized, and so are the threats.
To remain ahead of the curve and ensure the further development of quantum computing capabilities, governments and institutions alike are investing heavily in increasing the accuracy of these computers to serve the increased industry demands, which brings us to the October 23 discussions between the US Government and quantum computing companies.
A Multibillion Dollar Deal: The Players
A Synthesis Of Quantum Computing Companies
Key companies shaping the U.S. quantum landscape — and what makes each unique.
IonQ ⚛️
In talks with U.S. Administration
Approach: Uses individual trapped ions controlled by lasers — think of them as perfectly identical atomic “bits.”
Strength: High precision and stability; scalable for general-purpose quantum computing.
Impact: Could set the benchmark for commercial-grade, error-corrected quantum systems made in the U.S.
D-Wave Systems 🧩
In talks with U.S. Administration
Approach: Uses quantum annealing to find optimal solutions across countless possibilities.
Strength: Excels at logistics, scheduling, and optimization problems today — real-world ready.
Impact: Could deliver near-term quantum applications for industry and defense sectors.
Rigetti Computing 🔬
In talks with U.S. Administration
Approach: Builds superconducting qubits and offers cloud access to their machines.
Strength: Full-stack platform (software + hardware) that lets developers experiment via the cloud.
Impact: Positions quantum as an on-demand resource for companies and research labs nationwide.
IBM Quantum 💡
Approach: Superconducting qubits linked to IBM Cloud for research and AI integration.
Strength: Large installed base of users and partnerships with universities and governments.
Impact: Anchors the academic and corporate ecosystem pushing quantum toward mass accessibility.
Google Quantum AI 🧠
Approach: Focuses on achieving “quantum advantage” through superconducting processors and AI synergy.
Strength: Deep integration with AI and machine learning tools; proved “quantum supremacy” milestones.
Impact: Could redefine computation speed and AI model training efficiency over the next decade.
Microsoft Quantum 🌐
Approach: Developing topological qubits and a hybrid cloud environment via Azure Quantum.
Strength: Software-first focus on developer tools and interoperability across hardware vendors.
Impact: Bridges quantum research with enterprise cloud infrastructure for scalable adoption.
The Deal & What’s Next, Technologically & Financially
Opinion
A potential deal between the federal government and quantum computing companies such as IonQ, D-wave systems, and Rigetti could mark a turning point for the quantum industry from a technological standpoint. It showcases the first clear indication beyond research labs and theory of institutions and governments wanting to use the technology for practical purposes. In addition to the federal government, Nvidia, Microsoft, Google, and other tech giants have already struck deals with these upcoming quantum companies earlier this year. These deals, which value billions of dollars in value, showcase that even the general industry within tech and GenAI, are witnessing the increased importance of quantum in the age of AI, database technology, and SaaS infrastructure.
In the near term, quantum will remain largely unprofitable from a financial standpoint. While stocks like IonQ, D-wave systems, and Rigetti Computing have all seen explosions in valuations this year due to deals with Big Tech, their valuations are astronomically high from a PE Ratio and DCF standpoint. A deal with the government would significantly boost funding, and bring resources for these companies to improve quantum scalability in the upcoming years - something that could be crucial for it to become completely viable within industry and national security. Quantum computing, in my opinion, can be seen financially as similar to Nvidia or AMD 10 years ago - a lot of justifiable hype in the long-term with little valuation justification in the short-term.
In the long term, quantum computing has the potential to be as, if not more disruptive, as AI. The speed at which quantum computers operate can be the difference between the novel LLM models we see today and the future of agent-to-agent AI models. Additionally, as economies around the world continue to digitize and expand their technological footprint, quantum will be crucial for making or breaking cybersecurity. NIST itself has released numerous publications on the importance of post-quantum cybersecurity and encryption. Companies are already beginning to prepare for this post-quantum encryption reality - with startups such as Sandbox AQ partnering with Nvidia, IonQ, and others to ensure cryptographic stability.
While IonQ, Rigetti, and D-Wave are all trading at incredibly high valuations, they have the potential over the next 10-15 years to become companies worth hundreds of billions of dollars. The talks between the US government and quantum only further showcases the national and industry use case implications of this technology as it continues to mature and scale in adoption.
Quantum Deal — Company Valuations
As of Oct 23, 12:00 PM CST • Current Data From Stock Market
IonQ
In Deal- Stock$58.67
- Market Cap$20.85B
- 1-Yr Return297%
- 1-Yr Market Cap Projection$8B
- 3-Yr Valuation Projection$65B
- 7-Yr Stock Projection>$300B
Rigetti
In Deal- Stock$38.23
- Market Cap$12.69B
- 1-Yr Return3050%
- 1-Yr Market Cap Projection$4B
- 3-Yr Valuation Projection$30B
- 7-Yr Stock Projection>$100B
D-Wave
In Deal- Stock$30.59
- Market Cap$10.78B
- 1-Yr Return2470%
- 1-Yr Market Cap Projection$3B
- 3-Yr Valuation Projection$25B
- 7-Yr Stock Projection>$60B
* Figures and projections are for editorial discussion only and not investment advice.
Sources:
Quantum Computing Explained: https://www.nist.gov/quantum-information-science/quantum-computing-explained
IonQ: https://ionq.com/
D-Wave: https://www.dwavequantum.com/
Rigetti Computing: https://www.rigetti.com/
* All visualizations were created by MacroBytes itself - data is sourced as needed when collected from external sources but visualized by MacroBytes
* NOTE: none of the info in this article or ANY article of MacroBytes is investment advice, it is solely an opinion for editorial purposes
