Stop waiting for perfect quantum hardware; the use cases are already here

Quantum technologies have long been portrayed as a futuristic ideal, an experimental curiosity waiting for a scalable reality. However, recent developments suggest that the shift from theory to enterprise value may be closer than many CIOs expect. Mphasis is betting that the future is arriving sooner than anticipated. At the company’s recent analyst event, its quantum leadership showcased not theory, but production-grade use cases delivering measurable impact.

As HFS has previously covered, Mphasis has been investing and partnering strategically to create real-world solutions for enterprise technology and operations leaders. What began as research in 2020 under NEXT Labs, Mphasis’s Applied R&D arm, is evolving into a proven commercial capability to solve some of the most complex optimization and cryptography problems in enterprise computing.

Quantum hybrids are already outperforming classical systems on high-dimensional optimization

Mphasis began its quantum journey when AI was just emerging as a transformative technology. The company recognized that while AI could predict and optimize within boundaries, many real-world challenges remained unsolvable due to the computational complexity required to solve these problems at the scale of operations of a large enterprise. Under NEXT Labs, Mphasis launched an exploratory program to rethink how physics itself would accelerate computation and drive business outcomes.

Mphasis NEXT Labs turned that curiosity into capability through new intellectual property, industry solutions, and thought leadership. To strengthen its quantum ecosystem, Mphasis partnered with the University of Calgary and the Government of Alberta to establish Quantum City in 2022. That same year, the Mphasis F1 Foundation, the CSR arm of Mphasis, funded the Center for Quantum Information, Communication and Computing (CquiCC) at IIT Madras. Mphasis also teamed with quantum compute and platform providers, including AWS, Azure, Classiq, Quanfluence, QNu Labs, and Quantized Technologies Inc. (QTi), positioning it among the few service providers linking quantum research with commercial deployment.

The firm now focuses on quantum computing for optimization and simulation problems, as well as quantum-enhanced cybersecurity, as areas where quantum can deliver practical value to its customers in the near term. Additionally, Mphasis is exploring quantum-enhanced machine learning and quantum sensing as next-generation technologies to address complex real-world problems. For example, Mphasis received a US patent for its “system and method for optimized processing of information on and quantum systems,” which focuses on adaptive ML on current quantum and quantum adjacent computers.

Quantum proves measurable gains by outpacing classical systems in logistics and aviation

Mphasis demonstrated multiple live use cases where classical and quantum techniques work together to optimize speed, accuracy, and resource efficiency. For example, the Mphasis QOptiDecision framework, which uses hybrid quantum-classical and quantum adjacent technologies to solve optimization and simulation problems, has been used to tackle problems such as 3D bin packing, route optimization, passenger re-accommodation, and airline crew scheduling for global logistics providers.

The 3D bin packing system determines how to pack trucks, aircraft containers, or pallets by factoring in weight distribution, fragility, delivery sequence, and load-bearing constraints. The results significantly improved packing density and reduced floating-box inefficiencies compared with classical solvers. The same method can be extended to manufacturing and aerospace, where load stability and balance are critical. The quantum-enhanced route optimization solution, on the other hand, allows large logistics providers to optimize their entire logistics network in one go, rather than in batches required by classical systems.

Mphasis, for a large global airline, developed a solution to reassign approximately 15,000 passengers to alternative flights without impacting runtime compared to traditional algorithms. The re-accommodation rate compared to the current classical solution was improved by 10–12%. Additionally, the company built a solution to optimize crew rosters for approximately 1,000 flights, achieving better constraint adherence, including effective management of rest-hour limits, fair work distribution, and route overlaps.

Preparing enterprises for the post-quantum security era

While QOptiDecision focuses on solving optimization problems using quantum-enhanced technologies, Mphasis qCryptsec helps enterprises prepare for the post-quantum security era when classical cryptography standards will be vulnerable to quantum attacks. The platform offers a three-phase approach:

• Implementing crypto inventory tools to identify and classify existing encryption assets with respect to vulnerability to quantum attacks;
• Ensuring crypto agility, including migration to post-quantum cryptography algorithms; and
• Implementing quantum key distribution for high-security communications.

This solution is being implemented in collaboration with leading financial institutions, aligning with the US and European post-quantum cryptography standards released in 2024.

Three barriers stand between enterprises and quantum, but none should stop CIOs

Despite the progress, enterprise-scale quantum computing faces three persistent hurdles: hardware maturity, access and cost, and market readiness. Mphasis is tackling each with a clear strategy.

• Technology maturity: Fully scalable quantum computers remain years away, but hybrid models are already proving valuable. Mphasis uses quantum-inspired algorithms and simulators to emulate quantum behaviors on classical GPUs. This approach enables clients to build quantum-ready workflows today that can seamlessly integrate with true quantum systems as they mature.
• Access and pricing: Quantum hardware remains limited and often cost-prohibitive. Mphasis bridges this gap through partnerships with leading vendors and universities, providing clients with compute access for pilots and proofs of concept without a large capital outlay.
• Enterprise readiness: While AI currently dominates innovation budgets, Mphasis helps clients look ahead by conducting design-thinking workshops and readiness assessments. These sessions identify feasible quantum use cases, evaluate data availability, and establish measurable key performance indicators that mirror the adoption frameworks that successfully scaled AI a decade ago.

The Bottom Line: Enterprises must prepare for the inevitable impact of quantum on computing and secure communications. Those who start experimenting today will be running production workloads tomorrow.

CIOs must start by learning through hands-on experience. Quantum advantage will not come from waiting for perfect hardware, but from learning how to apply it now to the most complex problems that classical systems may not be able to solve. Leaders who wait for the perfect hardware will be left unprepared for the next computing shift and unable to capitalize on the efficiency, security, and decision-making gains already emerging.