The prospect of harnessing the power of quantum computing to tackle complex problems is gaining momentum, with tech luminaries weighing in on the timeline for its potential usefulness. Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, has chimed in on the debate, suggesting that the advent of practical quantum computing may be sooner than some predict, potentially within a three to five year window. This optimistic outlook aligns with the efforts of companies like Microsoft, which is currently co-designing and building what it claims will be the world's most powerful quantum machine, slated for release later this year. As the quantum computing landscape continues to evolve, industry leaders like Gates and Nvidia's Jensen Huang are offering divergent perspectives on the pace of progress, with some anticipating a longer timeline of up to 20 years before the technology yields truly useful applications.