Quantum computing use cases by industry
Quantum computing could apply in eight industries: finance, pharma, logistics, energy, automotive, transport, defense and telecom. Each guide links every use case to a published company announcement, paper, government report or pilot and carries an evidence level.
Updated Q4 2026
The eight guides
Each guide covers one industry, groups its use cases, and gives the best public evidence for each group with an evidence level.
Finance
Pricing and risk, portfolio optimization, trading and prediction, fraud detection, certified randomness and quantum-safe security, with examples from banks, an asset manager and central bank projects.
Read the finance guide
Pharma
Molecular simulation and drug discovery, and where classical methods already do the work.
Read the pharma guide
Logistics
Routing, scheduling and network optimization in freight and warehouses.
Read the logistics guide
Energy
Grid optimization, materials for storage and generation, and subsurface modeling.
Read the energy guide
Automotive
Materials and battery research, design optimization and supply chain planning.
Read the automotive guide
Transport
Traffic and rail optimization, aviation, navigation without satellite signals, underground sensing and secure communications, with the UK Department for Transport estimate.
Read the transport guide
Defense
Sensing and navigation, cryptography, secure communications and quantum computing, drawn from public programs, awards and trials, with a section on what is not public.
Read the defense guide
Telecom
Network optimization, post-quantum security, quantum key distribution and quantum networking, from operator announcements and standards bodies.
Read the telecom guide
The evidence levels used in every guide
Quantum announcements mix results of very different strength. Each use case in the series carries one of these labels.
Resource estimate
A paper that calculates what a machine would need. No machine was run.
Simulation
An algorithm run on a classical simulator, noiseless or noisy.
Hardware experiment
A run on a real quantum processor, at the problem size stated.
Backtest or benchmark
A hardware or hybrid result scored on historical or standard data.
Pilot with a client
A named organization tested the method on its own problem.
Production
The method runs in live operations. Each guide states whether any example reaches this level.
Two further labels appear where they fit. An announced collaboration names the partners and publishes no results. A standard or policy deadline is a published requirement and not a technical result.
Questions
Which industries does the series cover?
Eight: finance, pharma, logistics, energy, automotive, transport, defense and telecom. Each has its own guide, linked above.
How is each use case sourced?
Each one links to a company announcement, a paper, a government report or a pilot description, and carries an evidence level.
Does the series estimate the market?
No. It cites published estimates and states their limits. For market size see How big is the quantum computing market?.
Can TQI help assess use cases for my company?
Yes. TQI Advisory runs readiness assessments and market entry work, and scopes each engagement individually.
Which use cases matter for your organization?
TQI Advisory screens use cases against your workloads and your cryptographic exposure.