In our continuous endeavor to understand the evolving quantum landscape of quantum computing, we at QuEra, conducted a comprehensive survey earlier this year. Our primary objective was to gauge the perceptions, understanding, and expectations of readers of the Quantum Computing Report regarding quantum computers.

We are pleased to share that a total of 95 participants engaged in the survey. This report presents a detailed analysis of the survey results, offering insights into the thoughts and perspectives of the readers on quantum computing.

We extend our gratitude to all the participants for their invaluable contribution.

Demographics

Survey responses were recorded from the following countries:

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And respondents shared the context of their interest in quantum computing:

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Type of usage

As expected, the three top applications were machine learning, optimization and simulation.

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IBM quantum computers is clearly the most widely used at the moment:

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Given that IBM computers are the most popular, it’s no wonder that the largest number of respondents use the IBM cloud

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Paying for quantum

Most respondents are not paying to access a quantum computer right now, and even a smaller percentage are paying for training or algorithm development

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Business vs. Quantum advantage

Results are almost evenly split between those that think business advantage (“delivering a process improvement or cost saving to my organization using quantum computers”) is most important and those that think quantum advantage (“showing that a quantum solution can outperform any classical solution”) is most important:

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Attitudes about the quantum market

In this series of questions, respondents were asked to indicate how much they agree with a series of questions on a scale of 1-completely disagree to 6-completely agree. The following graphs show the distribution of the responses as well as the weighted average of the responses

There is some frustration about how quickly quantum benefits are being reached:

Respondents were very open to exploring alternative quantum architectures in order to gain the benefits that they seek:

Most Respondents agree that their organization needs help (though the majority of them are not paying for such help at present):

The choice of vendor strongly depends on their path to fault-tolerant computers:

Continuing their openness to seek different modalities or architectures, respondents don’t believe that companies should be locked in to a single vendor:

Similarly, there is significant uncertainty about which modality will be the winner of the quantum race:

Because there is openness to new architectures, there is a strong willingness to learn new development environments

Summary

The Quantum Computing Report Reader Survey 2023, conducted by QuEra, provided valuable insights into the perceptions, understanding, and expectations of our readers regarding quantum computing. With a total of 95 participants, the survey has shed light on various aspects of quantum computing, including usage, preferred platforms, payment willingness, and attitudes toward the quantum market.

The survey revealed that the top three applications of quantum computing among our readers are machine learning, optimization, and simulation. IBM’s quantum computers emerged as the most widely used platform, with a significant number of respondents also utilizing IBM’s cloud services. However, most respondents are not currently paying to access a quantum computer or for training and algorithm development.

The survey also highlighted a split in opinion between those prioritizing business advantage and those seeking quantum advantage. Furthermore, respondents expressed some frustration about the pace of reaching quantum benefits but showed openness to exploring alternative quantum architectures. The choice of vendor was found to be strongly influenced by their path to fault-tolerant computers.

Interestingly, there was a strong consensus among respondents that organizations should not be locked into a single vendor and that there is significant uncertainty about which modality will ultimately lead the quantum race. This openness to new architectures was mirrored in the willingness to learn new development environments.

July 27, 2023