Quantum computing gears up for its 'ChatGPT Moment' — and a potential talent shortage

• The AI field faces a significant talent shortage, with too few skilled workers to fuel the industry.
• Quantum computing startups have noticed and are trying to avoid the same problem.
• Some quantum companies are funding certificate programs and university courses to train new talent.

Quantum computing companies are learning from missteps made during the artificial intelligence boom and are investing heavily in training programs to ensure the fledgling industry maintains its momentum.

The goal is to avoid a talent shortage like the one AI companies are trying to navigate. While hiring for AI-related roles has surged in recent years, the pool of potential workers with the educational background and technical know-how to train large language models, write AI algorithms, and engineer new AI applications hasn't kept up.

Erik Garcell, director of quantum enterprise development at quantum computing software company Classiq Technologies, told Business Insider that quantum computing companies have taken notice of the hiring challenges facing the AI industry and are trying to circumvent them before they become a problem.

"At Classiq, we actually have a whole academic program we're kicking off here, working with universities to deploy quantum curriculum, because not every school has one, and those that do, we're trying to advocate for more of the hands-on practicum side of things," Garcell said.

Research published by the international consulting firm Randstad in November found that 75% of companies adopt AI and hire for AI-related roles. Still, just 35% of talent have received AI training in the last year. That labor pool comes with a significant age gap, with just one in five baby boomers being offered AI skill development opportunities, compared to almost half of Gen Z workers, and a 42 percentage point gender gap favoring men.

That gap persists despite a surge in the need for new talent. PwC found in its 2024 Job Barometer that the share of jobs that require specialized AI skills has grown 700% since 2016 — three times the rate of other job types — and having AI skills comes with the potential for a 25% wage premium.

The talent pool in the quantum industry, which is just a fraction of the size of the AI field, is even smaller, but demand is growing. The trade publication The Quantum Insider reported that quantum computing is expected to create an estimated 250,000 new jobs by 2030, jumping to 840,000 by 2035.

Preparing for quantum's 'ChatGPT moment'

Quantum computing is a rapidly evolving field attracting major interest from tech giants like IBM, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Google. Since it combines computer science, math, and quantum mechanics, it remains deeply technical and expensive to advance.

But while the industry is still in its infancy, Garcell said the major players in the quantum field believe its potential benefits — including advancements in medicine, materials science, and cybersecurity — are worth early investment to ensure a talent shortage doesn't derail its progress.

"IBM really did put out quite a lot of really good educational content for quantum computing; they nurtured the industry very early on with a lot of that," Garcell said. "I'm very happy to say that they have a lot of really great learning available, same with companies like Pennylane, just great educational content for free that you can start diving into."

IBM has partnered with quantum startups like Q-CTRL to build its quantum learning program, which includes free online courses outlining fundamental topics like building quantum algorithms and error-correcting codes. Other companies, like Google, Pennylane, and Microsoft, offer similar independent courses with certificates of completion to identify those with in-demand quantum skills that recruiters are searching for.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Chicago, and the University of California, Berkeley, offer some of the most comprehensive quantum computing courses available at academic institutions.

Garcell said he recently taught a three-day introductory course at MIT to introduce the university's student body to quantum technology. The school also partners with Classiq to offer an official certification course online.

"Right now is just a great time for finding content out there for those who just want to get their hands dirty with quantum computing," Garcell said. "In the industry, there's been a lot of talk about when we're going to have the 'ChatGPT moment,' where everyone turns their head and goes, 'Oh, this technology exists!' where they might not have known it existed before. People are going to start turning their heads, and it's going to make a lot of noise — we just want to be ready."