Ten years ago, quantum technology was a niche topic mostly discussed by academics, researchers, science enthusiasts, and a handful of deep tech investors. Jump forward to 2025, and “quantum computing” is fast becoming a household term. So, how did we get here?
Despite quantum’s recent surge in public awareness, our generation has been reaping the benefits of quantum mechanics for our entire lives. Technologies built on its principles have quietly underpinned systems we now rely on every day, enabling GPS-powered maps on your smartphone, optical networks that carry your internet traffic, and the semiconductor chips in your devices.
In fact, we’ve been living in a quantum-enabled world for nearly a century (even if we didn’t always fully understand it), a milestone the UN is marking in 2025 with the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.
CEO & Co-Founder, Aquark Technologies.
While the industry is generating more press coverage, the full scope of quantum applications has not reached the mainstream. Quantum computing dominates the conversation and holds transformative potential, yet many people assume its benefits are still years away. Less visible is quantum sensing, already deployed in atomic clocks that synchronize GPS and other Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) networks.
These foundational advancements belong to what is now called “Quantum 1.0.” Today, researchers are building toward “Quantum 2.0,” which promises integrated, distributed, and accessible quantum technologies at scale.
Classical quantum applications
Where did we start with quantum technology? One of the earliest real-world applications is the sodium lamp, invented in the 1920s and once seen almost ubiquitously in streetlights. If you’ve ever wondered why the light it emits is a pure, nearly monochromatic yellow, the answer lies in quantum mechanics: electrons jumping between discrete energy levels.
Likewise, semiconductors, which power all our modern devices, rely fundamentally on quantum principles such as band theory and tunnelling. Even the fiber optic cables carrying this article to your screen use light sources, laser diodes or LEDs, that depend entirely on quantum mechanical processes like spontaneous and stimulated photon emission.
These are all examples of us harnessing what you might call “classical” quantum effects – phenomena we were able to exploit for a long time. In many ways, we built an entire technological civilization on quantum foundations, treating these principles as invisible background physics that simply made our devices work.
Advanced quantum
Today’s quantum revolution isn’t just bigger, it’s fundamentally different, even if the underpinning physics is similar. Quantum 2.0 moves beyond leveraging large-scale quantum effects and instead focuses on actively manipulating individual atoms, ions, and photons. By working at the atomic and subatomic level, researchers can exploit superposition, entanglement, and coherence, opening doors to entirely new capabilities.
This new frontier is no longer limited to complex lab experiments or niche applications. Quantum technologies are increasingly being developed for scalable, real-world impact, bridging the gap between cutting-edge research and practical use. A prime example is GNSS, which underpins modern life by providing precise position, navigation, and timing (PNT) data for everything from smartphones to financial networks.
However, GNSS is not flawless: it suffers from reduced accuracy around the poles due to sparse satellite coverage, can be blocked by mountains or dense urban environments, does not function underwater, and is inherently vulnerable to jamming and spoofing. The consequences of disruption are severe; a seven-day outage could cost the UK economy alone as much as £7.6 billion.
Distributed quantum-powered atomic clocks are emerging as a potential solution. By providing highly stable timing signals comparable to GNSS, without relying on satellite signals, they can augment the existing infrastructure and keep critical communication and financial networks synchronized even during signal loss or deliberate interference. Early deployments are already underway across key infrastructure sectors.
The above is just one application. In 2025, Quantum 2.0 technologies are starting to enter the market in multiple forms. Another example is quantum encryption devices that provide unprecedented cybersecurity. These systems will be vital as quantum computers mature and gain the computational power to break today’s classical encryption schemes, ensuring our digital world remains secure in the quantum era.
Tomorrow’s quantum
You might be wondering where all this will ultimately lead, and the truth is, we don’t fully know yet. What is clear is that the next quantum revolution will arrive when today’s emerging technologies converge at scale, working seamlessly together.
Quantum sensors will collect data about the world around us with unprecedented precision. Quantum computers will deliver the processing power to analyze and optimize this data in real time, especially when paired with advanced artificial intelligence. The results will then be distributed via quantum-secure networks, creating communication channels that are extremely resilient to cyber threats.
The possibilities are profound. We could accelerate drug discovery, advance our understanding of medicine and the human body at a pace previously unimaginable. We could explore deep- sea and space environments with unprecedented capability.
Quantum tools could optimize renewable energy grids, monitor carbon sequestration to fight climate change, and transform industries that today seem unrelated to quantum science. Perhaps most excitingly, the most revolutionary applications are those we cannot yet imagine, because only when these technologies operate in concert will we begin to see the full potential of the quantum era.
Achieving this vision will not be simple. It demands collaboration across the entire ecosystem: academia, industry, investors, and government working together to translate quantum research into practical, global impact. International coordination will be essential, with shared knowledge, secure supply chains, and sustained investment to enable the scalable deployment of quantum technologies.
For technology leaders and professionals, the quantum transition presents both extraordinary opportunity and significant risk. Early adopters will gain advantages in security, computational power, and sensing, while laggards may find themselves struggling to catch up. Realizing the promise of this quantum future will require trust, investment, and a collective commitment to evolve with purpose.
As we stand on the edge of this revolution, the path forward is as thrilling as it is transformative.
This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro’s Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro
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