Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently walked back comments he made in January, downplaying the timeline for quantum computers to become useful. In a move to correct his earlier statements, Huang drew comparisons between pre-revenue quantum companies and Nvidia’s early days.
Huang initially stated that 15 years was “on the early side” for considering how long it would take for quantum technology to be useful, citing 20 years as a more realistic timeframe. However, he later expressed surprise at the impact of his comments on the market, jokingly saying he didn’t know certain quantum computing companies were publicly traded.
Despite initial concerns from some in the industry, Huang emphasized that Nvidia remains committed to quantum computing, highlighting its potential to deliver extraordinary impacts and improve various industries such as chemistry, weather simulation, and cryptography. The company has also announced plans to build a research center in Boston to facilitate collaboration between researchers and quantum companies.
The shift in tone comes after several quantum executives publicly fired back at Nvidia following Huang’s initial comments. Despite these criticisms, the event marked a truce of sorts between Nvidia and the quantum computing industry, with representatives from major players like Microsoft and Amazon Web Services also present.
Huang acknowledged that his comments were wrong and expressed willingness to learn from them, emphasizing the complexity of quantum computing technology. He stated that while acceleration is becoming increasingly important for GPUs, he was initially mistaken about its impact on traditional computers.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/20/nvidia-ceo-huang-says-was-wrong-about-timeline-for-quantum-computing.html