Jensen Huang Said Quantum Computing Is 20 Years Away, But Nvidia Bets Big On Strategic Hiring

While NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang has stated that practical quantum computing is likely two decades away, the company is not waiting to invest in its future. In a strategic move, Nvidia is actively hiring for roles that will bolster its quantum computing capabilities, indicating a long-term commitment to integrating quantum and classical computing systems.

What Happened: Huang, speaking at several forums including the recent CES 2025 keynote, has set a timeline of 15 to 30 years for “very useful” quantum computers, with a consensus within Nvidia leaning towards a 20-year horizon.

Despite this, Nvidia is already laying the groundwork for this hybrid future, as evidenced by job listings for positions like Director of Product Management for Climate and Weather and Senior Quantum Error Correction Research Scientist, according to Nvidia’s hiring page.

These roles focus on immediate applications such as weather forecasting with Nvidia’s Earth-2 digital twin and foundational quantum research in error correction and algorithm development.

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Why It Matters: The investment in quantum talent comes at a time when the quantum computing industry faces skepticism, as seen with the recent decline in quantum computing stocks post-Huang’s comments. IonQ Inc. (NYSE:IONQ), Quantum Computing Inc. (NASDAQ:QUBT), and Rigetti Computing Inc. (NASDAQ:RGTI) all experienced significant drops, reflecting investor caution.

However, some industry leaders, like D-Wave CEO Alan Baratz, argue quantum applications are already commercially viable in areas like financial modeling.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms Inc., echoed Huang's cautious optimism during an appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast, stating, "Quantum computing is still quite a ways off from being a truly practical paradigm." While admitting his limited expertise, Zuckerberg agreed with the industry consensus on the decade-long timeline for practical adoption.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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