MS "Preparing for Quantum Computers"... 'Seohak Ants' Favorite IonQ Surges

MS Executive: "We Are on the Threshold of Quantum Computing"

US big tech company Microsoft (MS) stated that it must prepare for the 'quantum computing' era, causing the stock price of IonQ, a quantum computer startup listed on the New York Stock Exchange, to surge. Previously, the company's stock price had plummeted following a series of skeptical forecasts from Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta.

Mitra Azizirad, MS's head of strategic missions and technology, claimed on the 15th (local time) through his blog that "2025 will be the year of quantum technology readiness."

He emphasized, "We are on the threshold of a trustworthy quantum computing era," adding, "We will see quantum computers solving meaningful problems and creating new business value." He also announced that MS is preparing for quantum technology innovation accordingly, particularly unveiling a new 'Quantum Readiness Program.'

Microsoft (MS) is regarded as a leader in quantum computer development. Screenshot from MS homepage

MS is considered a leading big tech company in quantum computing alongside Google and IBM. Azizirad stated, "It is time for business leaders to take action," and predicted, "Quantum research and development will accelerate rapidly over the next year." After the blog post was published, quantum computing-related stocks surged on the New York Stock Exchange, with IonQ's stock closing at $39.39 (approximately 57,000 KRW), up about 33% from the previous day.

Previously, IonQ had suffered setbacks due to a series of negative forecasts from US tech leaders. On the 7th, CEO Jensen Huang predicted that it could take about 20 years for quantum computers to become useful. Following this, IonQ's stock price plunged 40% in just one day.

Subsequently, CEO Mark Zuckerberg also mentioned, "There is still a long way to go before quantum computers become a very useful paradigm," and on the 13th, IonQ's stock price fell to $27.86 (approximately 40,578 KRW).

MS's cryogenic maintenance system quantum computer. Photo by MS

Meanwhile, IonQ is a startup in the quantum computing field. Along with another US startup, Rigetti Computing, and the US-UK joint venture Quantinuum, it is considered a leader in developing quantum computers using the so-called 'ion trap' method.

Since its founding in 2015, IonQ has continuously conducted research on quantum computing-related technologies, and is especially known in Korea for having Professor Jeongsang Kim of Duke University in the US as a co-founder. However, Professor Kim stepped down from the position of Chief Technology Officer (CTO) early last year.

IonQ is also well known as a 'favorite company' among Koreans investing in the US stock market. According to data from the Korea Securities Depository on the 14th, domestic investors hold about $2.1 billion (approximately 3 trillion KRW) worth of IonQ shares, accounting for about 24% of the total market capitalization.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.