Quantum Matters: Where Quantum Computing Gets Real

In this episode, we take you behind the curtain for a close look at D-Wave's full quantum computing technology stack. Host Murray Thom sits down with longtime colleague Dr. Trevor Lanting, Chief Development Officer at D-Wave, to discuss how the hardware, software, and applications all fit together.From cryogenic hardware and processors, to the Leap™ cloud platform and Ocean™ open-source tools, to the real-world applications customers are running now, Murray and Trevor give you the story behind the technology, D-Wave's culture of innovation, key milestones, and where the product roadmap is heading. Trevor breaks down D-Wave's dual-platform strategy across annealing and gate-model systems, why each has its own sweet spot, and how the lessons learned scaling annealing position D-Wave to drive the commercialization of gate-model quantum computing.Learn More: https://www.dwavequantum.com/solutions-and-products/public-sector/Highlights:4:38- Why Build Quantum Computers? 24:24- What Gives D-Wave a Head Start in Quantum?28:06- How Quantum and AI Could Work Together

What does quantum advantage actually mean? How do you prove a quantum computer can outperform the world’s most powerful supercomputers? And why is its energy efficiency arriving at such an important time for the world?In this episode of Quantum Matters, host Murray Thom sits down with Dr. Andrew King, Senior Distinguished Scientist at D-Wave, to discuss the company’s landmark peer-reviewed research demonstrating quantum computational advantage on aproblem relevant to materials discovery.Together, they unpack the result behind the headlines, including a calculation completed in minutes on a quantum processor that could take classical supercomputers nearly a million years. They explore what it took to validate that claim, why energy efficiency is becoming a critical part of the quantum computing story, and how these advances could impact materials science, blockchain, and AI.Join us for an inside look at one of the most significant milestones in quantum computing and what it could mean for the future of computation.Learn more about the Beyond Classical research:https://www.dwavequantum.com/beyond-classical/ Explore the Blockchain research: https://www.dwavequantum.com/blockchain/ Highlights: 03:41 — The Most Exciting Quantum Breakthrough in Years11:49 — Why Quantum Computing Could Revolutionize Energy Efficiency29:12 — What’s Next for Quantum Computing: New Controls and CapabilitiesShow GlossaryQuantum Phase Transition: A change in the state of a quantum system driven by quantum effects rather than changes in temperature.Programmable Quantum Magnet: A controllable quantum system designed to mimic the behavior of magnetic materials for experiments and simulations.Constraint Satisfaction Problem (CSP): A problem where a solution must satisfy a specified set of constraints or rules.Spin Glass: A disordered magnetic system with competing interactions that make finding its lowest-energy state difficult.Polynomial Speedup: An improvement where a quantum algorithm scales more favorably than a classical algorithm as problem size increases.Matrix Product State (MPS): A mathematical representation used to efficiently simulate certain quantum systems on classical computers.Projected Entangled Pair States (PEPS): An advanced tensor-network method used to model higher-dimensional quantum systems.Thermal Bath: The surrounding environment that exchanges heat with a physical system and can influence its behavior.Topological Phase Transition: A phase transition characterized by changes in a system’s global structure rather than conventional ordering.Order by Disorder: A phenomenon where fluctuations create an ordered state from a set of equally possible disordered configurations.Degenerate Ground States: Multiple lowest-energy states of a system that all have exactly the same energy.Hamiltonian: The mathematical description of the total energy and evolution of a physical system.Non-Ising Hamiltonian: A Hamiltonian that includes interactions beyond those found in the standard Ising model of magnetism.Multicolor Annealing: A quantum annealing technique that applies different control schedules to different groups of qubits.State Preparation: The process of initializing a quantum system into a desired starting state before computation or simulation.Doping Parameter: A variable describing how impurities are intentionally added to a material to alter its properties.Hopfield Network: A type of recurrent neural network that stores and retrieves patterns using an energy-based framework.Tensor Network: A mathematical framework used to represent and compute properties of complex quantum systems.

Modern warehouses process many thousands, sometimes millions, of items in constantly changing conditions, where each decision affects the flow of goods in the warehouse, and across the supply chain.In this episode of Quantum Matters, Murray Thom speaks with Gabriel Fernandes of the Wernher von Braun Advanced Research Center about a warehouse challenge faced by an automotive manufacturer. With warehouse capacity limits looming and the challenge of maintaining product flow, Gabriel shares how he turned to quantum-powered optimization to help rethink operations at scale.Using real operational data, Gabriel explores how products could be assigned to gravity flow racks, demonstrating in simulation a 10x reduction in product re-insertions.The result reflects a new way of thinking about coordination across modern supply chains, a practical, eye-opening look at quantum computing’s potential in action.Highlights include:6:30 - Programming a quantum computer for the first time 15:53 - Quantum Solving the Warehouse “Tetris Problem”21:00 -The 90% Cost Reduction Result

Quantum computing can feel abstract… Until you see the kinds of business problems it’s already being applied to. On this episode of Quantum Matters, host Murray Thom is joined by Mayowa Ayodele, Manager, Solutions Architect on D-Wave’s Professional Services team, to explore how organizations are using hybrid-quantum computing approaches to help deliver measurable results today. Drawing on real-world client engagements across industries like logistics, manufacturing, energy, and finance, Ayodele breaks down what makes a problem well- suited for quantum-powered optimization: challenges that are large, complex, and driven by discrete decisions. She also unpacks why classical systems can begin to struggle as constraints multiply, how hybrid solvers can, in some cases, reduce time to solution from hours to seconds, and what it can take to move from proof of concept to production. The conversation also highlights the importance of clean data, strong collaboration with domain experts, and practical pathways for teams that are new to quantum computing to get started with confidence.Highlights:8:00 - The 3 Things You Need to Solve Problems with Quantum13:21 - Good Data Determines Good Results23:36 - What Makes a Quantum Project Successful

Introducing Quantum Matters, a podcast from D-Wave, the world’s first commercialquantum computing company. Every episode will explore where quantum is making atangible difference today. You’ll hear from industry leaders, researchers, and academicswho are applying quantum technology to find answers to their most challengingcomputational problems. You’ll also learn about real-world case studies to help you cutthrough the hype, separate fact from fiction, and develop an informed position on whatthis incredible technology could mean for you today.Because quantum isn’t coming someday—it’s here, it’s scaling, and it’s creatingopportunities and delivering real ROI right now. So whether you’re a quantum skeptic,enthusiast, or undecided, keep an eye out for Quantum Matters from D-Wave, comingsoon to YouTube, Spotify, Apple, and everywhere you get your podcasts.