D-Wave has published research showing that 41% of large UK enterprises expect quantum computing to unlock more than £100 million in value within a year.
The survey found that 65% of UK businesses are already adopting or piloting the technology.
The findings suggest a shift in how large companies view quantum computing, from early exploration to practical use cases. Of those surveyed, 26% said their organisation is actively adopting quantum computing, while 39% are testing it through pilot projects or proof-of-concept work.
Board-level interest is also rising. One in five business leaders said quantum computing is already a strategic priority for their organisation, while 34% described it as an emerging business tool.
Censuswide conducted the research among 1,003 senior business decision-makers across the UK. The results suggest that businesses with direct experience of quantum computing place a higher commercial value on it than those taking a wait-and-see approach.
Organisations already engaging with quantum estimated nearly twice the commercial value of those waiting for the technology to mature. They were also more likely to say it is already delivering value today, with 37% of active users holding that view, compared with 16% of business leaders overall.
Operational focus
The strongest near-term interest centred on optimisation tasks. Respondents identified workforce scheduling, resource allocation, supply chain management and manufacturing processes as areas where better optimisation could deliver benefits.
Ninety per cent cited workforce scheduling, 89% resource allocation, 88% supply chain optimisation and 82% manufacturing processes. These areas often involve large numbers of variables, time pressure and cost constraints, making them suitable targets for alternative computing methods.
D-Wave linked that interest to annealing quantum computing, which it said is well suited to solving optimisation problems. The company has long focused on that part of the market as it positions quantum systems for business applications rather than purely academic work.
AI pressure
The survey also linked interest in quantum computing to dissatisfaction with current AI returns and concern about the infrastructure needed to support further growth in compute-heavy workloads. More than a third of business leaders said AI had delivered some return on investment but had not met expectations.
Nearly two-thirds said they were concerned that existing energy infrastructure may not support continued growth in AI and other compute-intensive technologies. Against that backdrop, 87% said quantum computing could help optimise AI-related processes and other complex computational challenges.
This suggests some businesses now view quantum not as a distant replacement for existing systems, but as a tool for specific bottlenecks that conventional computing and AI struggle to address efficiently.
Barriers remain
Despite the strong interest, respondents also pointed to obstacles to wider use. Cost was the most frequently cited barrier, mentioned by 46%, followed by a lack of internal expertise at 33% and limited awareness at 30%.
These figures indicate that, even as uptake increases, many businesses still lack the skills and internal understanding needed to assess where the technology could be useful. The findings also suggest quantum computing remains at an uneven stage of adoption, with some companies building familiarity while others are still defining the business case.
D-Wave said broader quantum literacy will need to extend beyond technical teams if businesses are to use the technology more widely in planning, optimisation and decision-making. For many large organisations, that would require senior leaders in operations, finance and strategy to understand where quantum tools fit alongside existing software and infrastructure.
The company, one of the earliest commercial suppliers of quantum computers, has argued that practical business use is emerging now rather than remaining years away. Its latest UK survey reflects a market in which expectations are rising, but commercial adoption still depends on clearer use cases, internal expertise and proof of returns.
“The era of enterprise quantum computing adoption has arrived. Companies are no longer asking if they should explore quantum, but how quickly they can implement it,” said Murray Thom, Vice President of Quantum Technology Evangelism at D-Wave.
“This study shows that UK organisations increasingly see quantum computing as a practical tool for tackling real business challenges, from supply chain optimisation to manufacturing to AI. As a result, we are beginning to see the Quantum Effect take shape across the UK market,” Thom said.