Quantum moves from labs to boardrooms, says PwC partner

Leonard McAuliffe, a partner for cybersecurity and privacy at PwC Ireland, said that quantum technology has shifted from the research laboratory into the boardroom.

He told SiliconRepublic.com that hardware improvements, especially in error correction and qubit quality, are outpacing expectations, and quantum‑inspired tools are already being used in logistics and finance. From a security standpoint, the key development is the finalisation of quantum‑safe algorithms by NIST, with the US, UK and EU now setting timelines for migration to post‑quantum cryptography.

McAuliffe warned that organisations do not need every employee to understand quantum physics, but boards and senior leaders must grasp the risk of “harvest now, decrypt later”, where attackers store encrypted data today to break it with future quantum computers. Security and technology teams need to map where cryptography is used and plan the transition to quantum‑safe alternatives, he added.

Implications for Irish industry

The PwC partner highlighted that Ireland’s economy is both uniquely exposed and uniquely positioned. Pharma could accelerate drug discovery, financial services may achieve breakthroughs in risk modelling and fraud detection, and manufacturing could benefit from quantum‑enabled optimisation. However, the most significant impact is on security, affecting online banking, medical records, digital signatures, remote access and supply‑chain integrity.

PwC’s 2027 Global Digital Trust Insights Survey found only 6 % of Irish respondents are implementing quantum‑resistant measures, compared with 21 % globally, and just 17 % integrate cyber risk into enterprise risk management. McAuliffe stressed that regulated sectors such as finance, healthcare, energy and telecoms could face compliance breaches if they do not achieve quantum readiness.

Source: Silicon Republic. Photo: Ludovic Delot / Pexels.