Some problems take longer to solve than they should. Not because your team lacks skill or your strategy is off — but because the traditional computing approach can’t solve them. That gap has real consequences.
It starts with workloads – the time and resources it takes to solve complex computational problems. As the number of variables increases, so does the complexity and the time required to solve them. They grow exponentially. A problem with 10 variables might take an hour to solve classically. Scale that to 20 variables, and the same approach could take years, not hours. At some point, there isn’t enough hardware in the world to run the problem, let alone solve it in an acceptable amount of time.
This kind of scenario is where quantum computing shines. By leveraging quantum mechanics, quantum computing can solve complex problems faster than traditional computing. Some organizations avoid tackling complex problems because of computing limitations, while others recognize the opportunity but know they lack the power to solve it.
Quantum computing approaches problem-solving differently. It uses unique algorithms and calculation principles that classical systems simply can't replicate. Here’s how it can work.
Navigating the modern workload challenge
Workload complexity increases as problems grow exponentially. Complex tasks such as combinatorial optimization and large-scale simulations are particularly demanding because they require substantial computing resources and time. This stretches the capabilities of traditional computing systems to their limits as you balance resource use, speed, and accuracy while minimizing operational risks like data security and cost escalation.
As workloads become increasingly complex and resource-hungry, businesses face tangible impacts: rising operational costs, slower decision-making, and the risk of customer dissatisfaction. In response, some organizations add more people or infrastructure; however, that’s costly and can compound data security risks as you introduce more network servers and computers to handle growing computational requirements.
To keep up with the exponential growth in workload size and complexity, your organization requires computation at scale and solutions that can adapt, optimize, and evolve to deliver new ways of working and collaborating.
Traditional computing is people-heavy and time-bound. Quantum computing enables you to balance speed, smart resource use, and accuracy without bogging down operations or inflating costs.
Making quantum moves
Quantum computing is poised to tackle the toughest workload challenges. It starts with your organization identifying the meaningful problems you want answered that can't be solved with traditional computing. The real power of quantum computing comes from pairing it with the right algorithms for the right problems.
Combinatorial optimization problems grow exponentially, quickly overwhelming traditional computational resources. Carefully tailored quantum algorithms can sift through immense possibilities much more rapidly and deliver answers that enable you to optimize logistics, resource scheduling, or risk assessments.
Simulation tasks also benefit from quantum computing. They often require significant time and resource investment, whether in materials science, financial modeling, or climate forecasting. Quantum systems handle these intricate calculations more efficiently, accelerating research and development cycles and freeing organizations to innovate faster.
After finding the right quantum algorithm for each business problem, you need to match it with the appropriate infrastructure, whether on-premises or in the cloud. This approach helps your organization create real, measurable impact.
What quantum makes possible
When quantum computing is matched to the right problems, the business impact is significant:
- Operational efficiency: Complex optimization problems that once took weeks or months to run can be resolved in hours. That frees up resources to focus on higher-value work rather than wait on computational bottlenecks.
- Increased agility: Faster computation means business objectives that were once out of reach due to time or resource constraints become viable. Problems you've stopped trying to solve are worth revisiting.
- Better customer experience: When back-end processes run faster and more accurately because of personalization engines, logistics scheduling, and risk modeling, the improvements show up in every customer interaction, even when customers can't see what's driving them.
When approached thoughtfully and in partnership with trusted advisors, quantum computing transforms complex problems into success stories. A trusted advisor can guide the selection of appropriate use cases and algorithms and match them to the ideal quantum hardware.
Partner with Unisys on quantum
Ready to introduce your workload challenges to quantum? First, focus on the problems you want to solve rather than fixating on the technology and the functions you can power with qubits. Unisys experts can guide you in selecting the right quantum algorithms and the most suitable hardware to support your goals. We can also optimize your environment by balancing the four work pillars of people, process, technology, and data.
Quantum computing isn’t the answer to every workload challenge, but we can figure out where it can best be used to advance your business objectives and drive your strategic growth.
