Nvidia CEO says quantum computing is reaching an 'inflection point'

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is increasing much bullish astir quantum computing — and helium expects they'll commencement solving real-world problems successful the coming years.

"Quantum computing is reaching an inflection point," Jensen declared during his keynote code astatine Nvidia's GTC Paris developer league Wednesday.

Quantum computers are machines that usage the laws of quantum mechanics to lick problems excessively analyzable for classical computers, which store accusation successful bits (ones and zeroes).

Quantum computers usage quantum bits, oregon "qubits," which tin beryllium zero, 1 oregon thing successful betwixt — the purpose being to process overmuch larger volumes of information to facilitate breakthroughs successful areas similar medicine, subject and finance.

Quantum has been a buzzy abstraction for investors with the emergence of respective fashionable stocks, specified arsenic Rigetti Computing and IonQ, which connected Monday acquired Oxford Ionics for $1.1 billion. Shares of Rigetti and IonQ were up 4.5% and 3.7%, respectively.

Huang connected Wednesday said he's been impressed with the "large community" of quantum computing companies wrong Europe, adding that he'd met with representatives of French quantum startup Pasqal connected Tuesday night.

"We are wrong reach" of being capable to use quantum computers "in areas that tin lick immoderate absorbing problems successful the coming years," Huang added. "This is simply a truly breathtaking time."

This marks a much bullish presumption from the Nvidia brag connected quantum, aft Huang antecedently said helium thinks a 15-year timeline for realizing utile quantum computers is "on the aboriginal side," and that a 20-year timeframe was a likelier target.

His views astatine the clip led to quantum computing stocks including Rigetti, IonQ and D-Wave Quantum plunging. More recently, Huang has admitted his comments came retired wrong and expressed his astonishment astir the ensuing marketplace movements.

Huang isn't unsocial successful spotting the quantum computing hype. Late past year, Google announced its latest quantum chip, Willow, which it said marked a large breakthrough successful alleged "error correction" — a acceptable of techniques utilized to support quantum accusation from errors.

- CNBC's Arjun Kharpal contributed to this report