The short history of the computing discipline has been characterised by constant technological evolution and drastic changes caused by it. Yet, in the near future, the next significant technological leap is expected to take place. The recent development in the field of quantum computing and in the building of quantum computers have been remarkable. However, the foreseeable new technology will also provide changes to business and society surrounding it. While there is an increasing interest towards the quantum computing technology, its societal impacts as well as quantum software engineering, a less work has been done to understand the business aspects of quantum computers and software. This study summarises the academic discussion in the topic via an analysis of collected articles (n=19). A systematic literature study was used in the primary data collection. The results of the primary study analysis shows focus Quantum-Computing-as-a-Service (QCaaS) delivery model and concerns regarding the development of the field. This study argues that for enabling sustainable development of the quantum computing industry, a more focus should be put on searching a commercially viable killer app of quantum computing.
The short history of the computing discipline has been characterised by constant technological evolution and drastic changes caused by it. Yet, in the near future, the next significant technological leap is expected to take place. The recent development in the field of quantum computing and in the building of quantum computers have been remarkable. However, the foreseeable new technology will also provide changes to business and society surrounding it. While there is an increasing interest towards the quantum computing technology, its societal impacts as well as quantum software engineering, a less work has been done to understand the business aspects of quantum computers and software. This study summarises the academic discussion in the topic via an analysis of collected articles (n=19). A systematic literature study was used in the primary data collection. The results of the primary study analysis shows focus Quantum-Computing-as-a-Service (QCaaS) delivery model and concerns regarding the development of the field. This study argues that for enabling sustainable development of the quantum computing industry, a more focus should be put on searching a commercially viable killer app of quantum computing.
Quantum systems have started to emerge as a disruptive technology and enabling platforms - exploiting the principles of quantum mechanics via programmable quantum bits (QuBits) - to achieve quantum supremacy in computing. Academic research, industrial projects (e.g., Amazon Braket, IBM Qiskit), and consortiums like 'Quantum Flagship' are striving to develop practically capable and commercially viable quantum computing (QC) systems and technologies. Quantum Computing as a Service (QCaaS) is viewed as a solution attuned to the philosophy of service-orientation that can offer QC resources and platforms, as utility computing, to individuals and organisations who do not own quantum computers. This research investigates a process-centric and architecture-driven approach to offer a software engineering perspective on enabling QCaaS - a.k.a quantum service-orientation. We employed a two-phase research method comprising (a) a systematic mapping study and (b) an architecture-based development, first to identify the phases of the quantum service development life cycle and subsequently to integrate these phases into a reference architecture that supports QCaaS. The SMS process retrieved a collection of potentially relevant research literature and based on a multi-step selection and qualitative assessment, we selected 41 peer-reviewed studies to answer three RQs. The RQs investigate (i) demographic details in terms of frequency, types, and trends of research, (ii) phases of quantum service development lifecycle to derive a reference architecture for conception, modeling, assembly, and deployment of services, and (iii) The results identify a 4-phased development lifecycle along with quantum significant requirements (QSRs), various modeling notations, catalogue of patterns, programming languages, and deployment platforms that can be integrated in a layered reference architecture to engineer QCaaS.
Quantum systems have started to emerge as a disruptive technology and enabling platforms - exploiting the principles of quantum mechanics - to achieve quantum supremacy in computing. Academic research, industrial projects (e.g., Amazon Braket), and consortiums like 'Quantum Flagship' are striving to develop practically capable and commercially viable quantum computing (QC) systems and technologies. Quantum Computing as a Service (QCaaS) is viewed as a solution attuned to the philosophy of service-orientation that can offer QC resources and platforms, as utility computing, to individuals and organisations who do not own quantum computers. To understand the quantum service development life cycle and pinpoint emerging trends, we used evidence-based software engineering approach to conduct a systematic mapping study (SMS) of research that enables or enhances QCaaS. The SMS process retrieved a total of 55 studies, and based on their qualitative assessment we selected 9 of them to investigate (i) the functional aspects, design models, patterns, programming languages, deployment platforms, and (ii) trends of emerging research on QCaaS. The results indicate three modelling notations and a catalogue of five design patterns to architect QCaaS, whereas Python (native code or frameworks) and Amazon Braket are the predominant solutions to implement and deploy QCaaS solutions. From the quantum software engineering (QSE) perspective, this SMS provides empirically grounded findings that could help derive processes, patterns, and reference architectures to engineer software services for QC.
The evolution of quantum computing and its transformative impact on modern business models. Beginning with its theoretical foundations in the 1980s, quantum computing has progressed toward hardware development and, more recently, commercialization. With the advent of Quantum Computing as a Service (QCaaS), this cutting-edge technology is redefining industries such as finance, healthcare, supply chain management, and artificial intelligence. By analyzing real-world case studies and drawing insights from industry reports, the study highlights the measurable advantages of quantum computing in business, including enhanced optimization, cost savings, and accelerated problem-solving. The paper also addresses challenges, such as scalability and accessibility, while outlining future directions for research and adoption.
Quantum computing has evolved from a largely theoretical discipline into a field of growing interest for commercial and industrial applications. Recent advances in quantum hardware, algorithms, and cloud-based access have enabled early experimentation outside academic environments, raising questions about its potential impact on real-world decision-making and operational problems. This paper provides an overview of the current state of quantum computing with a focus on its emerging relevance in commercial contexts. It examines the categories of problems that have attracted attention from industry, particularly those involving high combinatorial complexity such as optimization, scheduling, logistics, and resource allocation. The analysis also reviews the global landscape of companies and initiatives engaged in quantum computing, highlighting different technological approaches, maturity levels, and regional characteristics. In parallel, the paper discusses the principal challenges and limitations that constrain widespread adoption, including hardware immaturity, algorithmic readiness, cost factors, and organizational requirements. By considering both opportunities and risks, this study aims to present a balanced and realistic perspective on the role quantum computing may play in business environments. The objective is to clarify the current position of quantum computing within the broader technological landscape and to support informed interpretation of its potential, limitations, and future trajectory in commercial applications.
Quantum computing, and to an even greater extent quantum technology, is changing the world. Quantum computing is not an evolution of classical computer science; it is actually a revolution that completely changes the computing paradigm. Quantum computers are based on the principles of quantum mechanics, such as superposition and entanglement, and they seek to boost computational power exponentially. Many problems that have until now been impossible to solve, in practical terms, might very well be able to be addressed by means of quantum computing. The fact is that at the present time quantum computing is influencing most business sectors and research fields, due to its various promising applications. To make such applications become reality, quantum algorithms must be specially coded for these extremely different computers. Although some well-known quantum algorithms already exist, the need for quantum software will increase dramatically in the next years. In that context, quantum software has to be produced in a more industrial and controlled way, i.e., aspects such as quality, delivery, project management, or evolution of quantum software must be addressed. We are sure that quantum computing will be the main driver for a new software engineering golden age during the present decade of the 2020s.
Abstract Quantum computing (QC) advances will help solve high complexity challenges that classical system architectures cannot solve. This report examines the philosophical foundation for QC research using a PRISMA-compliant systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis. This review emphasizes business applications of QC, including optimization, cryptography and cybersecurity, machine learning, financial modeling and forecasting, supply chain management, healthcare and analytics, and materials design, showing how QC can improve prediction and forecast accuracy, data physicalness, large-scale optimization, and more. The research will also identify execution constraints such hardware readiness, qubit capacity, development and operation expenses, personnel availability, and regulatory and commercial governance. Bibliometric data showed a focus on foundational quantum theoretical contributions and algorithms, with multidisciplinary and practical work emerging. Scaled algorithms, quantum-resistant standards, and any solutions industry nexus to enterprise are among the research opportunities. The literature evaluation will also identify ethical, policy, and sustainability issues related to quantum benefits. The paper helps businesspeople understand QC’s current and future opportunities, including a research-based assessment of where we’ve come, common themes in the literature, and strategic domains for scaling QC as a research agenda from laboratory experiments to enriching the service experience as commercial utility.