Could an experimental drug compound once studied as a diabetes treatment also fight deadly superbugs? In 2020, an AI model gave researchers a promising answer to that question, identifying halicin’s ability to kill bacteria, including strains resistant to other antibiotics.
“You can’t know it all yourself. You’ve got to know people who can help you with your decision-making.”
The technologies available to researchers have advanced considerably since then. Today, generative AI can already search for and design new drug candidates, while quantum computing is on the brink of revealing how their molecules behave and why they work. Combined, they’re poised to deliver a powerful one-two punch in the search for medical breakthroughs.
For Hausi Müller, a computer science professor at the University of Victoria and co-founder and general chair of IEEE Quantum Week 2026, drug discovery is just one example of what’s possible when areas of expertise are brought together to tackle problems too complex for any one field to solve alone.
“On the quantum side, you generate molecular data, and on the GenAI side, you brainstorm,” he told Betakit. “You try to see what they have in common and why it works.”
That’s what IEEE Quantum Week is all about. Held from Sept. 13 to 18 in Toronto, the conference brings together researchers, engineers, scientists, educators, businesses, and government labs from around the world to exchange knowledge and make connections as advances in quantum begin to find more practical and commercial applications.
This year’s keynote speakers are global leaders in quantum computing and engineering from major quantum technology companies, startups, universities, and government laboratories. The mix reflects the varied skills involved in moving quantum forward, from advancing the science and building the computers to developing commercial applications and the expertise needed to put them to work.
“It amazes me every time how all these people work together,” said Müller. “Everybody feels part of the ecosystem. They are eager to interact and learn from each other. They are enthusiastic about sharing their latest work and development.”
Quantum science is moving quickly
This year, organizers expect about 2,000 delegates from between 50 and 60 countries, up from more than 1,750 attendees in 2025. Across six days, they can choose from 10 keynotes, 48 tutorials, 47 workshops, 372 technical papers, 22 panels, nearly 195 posters, a career fair, student mentorship, and a major exhibits showcase.
The keynote speakers include Krysta Svore of Nvidia, Matthias Troyer of Microsoft, Ali Javadi-Abhari of IBM Research, Travis Humble of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Alán Aspuru-Guzik of the University of Toronto, Christian Weedbrook of Xanadu, Rajeeb Hazra of Quantinuum, Lisa Lambert and Mihir Bhaskar of IonQ, Niels Bultink of Qblox, and Gilad Ben-Shach of Quantum Machines.
“All of our keynote speakers are absolutely world-class,” said Müller.
Quantum science is moving quickly. Müller noted that commercially viable quantum computers are already available from various companies, including IBM, D-Wave, Quantinuum, IonQ, Rigetti, Pasqal, IQM, Xanadu, QuEra, and Atom Computing, but the industry hasn’t yet settled on a single way to build them. Superconducting, trapped-ion, photonic, neutral atoms, silicon, and other designs are all being developed, leaving companies to determine which may be best suited to their needs and where to begin gaining experience. Access to Google’s own hardware is still restricted to approved groups. Microsoft and AWS are primarily quantum cloud/platform and ecosystem companies.
The choices extend beyond the computers themselves. Researchers are also working to build networks capable of carrying quantum information. Interest in quantum networking and quantum internet is rising sharply, with submissions on the topic growing from roughly 20 or 30 papers during the conference’s early years to about 150 this year, said Müller.
For networking equipment makers and telecommunications providers, those advances make timing critical. Moving too early could mean committing to hardware that is quickly overtaken, while waiting too long could leave them catching up after customers and competitors have moved on.
“It’s tricky to make the right move at the right time,” he said.
Building quantum champions
Quantum’s progress will also depend on building a sufficiently large talent base with the skills to engineer the quantum hardware/software stack, develop quantum algorithms and software, and create applications in areas such as simulation, optimization, and machine learning.
“Workforce capacity is now a critical foundation for quantum progress,” said Müller.
That demand is one reason companies attend IEEE Quantum Week to recruit, while its tutorials and workshops help students, researchers, and engineers develop skills and build relationships. Expertise will also be needed within end-user industries—such as mining, health care, and telecommunications—to build the capacity to evaluate, adopt, and pull quantum technologies into real-world applications.
“Everybody feels part of the ecosystem. They are eager to interact and learn from each other. They are enthusiastic about sharing their latest work and development.”
As with AI, organizations will need employees who understand both their existing operations and can identify problems that quantum computing may eventually help solve. A mining operation, for example, could explore the technology for difficult optimization challenges, but only if someone can connect its industry knowledge with outside quantum expertise.
“You need to build what we call ‘quantum champions’ in these companies,” said Müller.
Interest in using quantum computing to solve real-world problems across industries is growing rapidly. He noted that quantum applications and quantum end-to-end hybrid case studies attracted close to 200 paper submissions this year.
The opportunity to build relationships also keeps some senior speakers at the conference well beyond their time on stage. Müller said technology executives often attend for several days, giving them time to join the wider discussions and connect with researchers, founders, and students outside the formal sessions.
With quantum advancing along so many paths, building those connections and forming quantum ecosystems matters more than ever, said Müller.
“You can’t know it all yourself. You’ve got to know people who can help you with your decision-making, wherever you are.”
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IEEE Quantum Week 2026 runs Sept. 13 to 18 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Learn more and register.
Feature image courtesy Destination Toronto.