The terms and concepts described in this Quick Glossary from TechRepublic Premium will help you understand the significance of quantum computing as a concept and provide insight into the future implications of this technology, both personally and as a business decision-maker.

From the glossary:

Introduction

Throughout recorded history, technological innovation has been in a state of perpetual motion toward what most people would describe as a “better way of doing things.” For the most part, these technological innovations were first conceived and proposed as abstract ideas and devices that could be possible one day in the future. In the Information Age, personal computers, smart mobile devices, cloud networks, and Internet of Things (IoT), just to name a few, were all abstract concepts before they were practical common everyday applications.

One of the more promising and significant technological developments working its way from abstract concept to practical reality today is quantum computing. Research into quantum computing suggests such devices will provide magnitudes of increased computing power and speed while at the same time using less energy and taking up less space.

The implications of quantum computing in practical use are somewhat mind-boggling, but they should be studied and understood now, before they become an everyday application that you somehow didn’t see coming.