Quantum Is Coming. Here's What CTOs Can Be Doing Today
Information Age, Thursday, May 7th, 2026
CTOs should prepare for quantum computing by prioritizing post-quantum cryptography, conducting cryptographic audits, and designing flexible architecture.
As quantum computing approaches (Google recently shifted Q-Day timelines to 2029), CTOs must treat quantum readiness as a strategic imperative rather than a theoretical exercise. The most essential immediate action is implementing post-quantum cryptography (PQC) as a standing governance issue, mapping all systems with quantum-vulnerable encryption, and prioritizing data with the longest exposure lifespan.
CTOs should also define specific high-value quantum use cases aligned with the technology's unique strengths in optimization, drug discovery, and materials science, while making crypto-agility a design requirement across all infrastructure decisions.
The article emphasizes that organizations treating quantum-readiness as an infrastructure design principle today - through cryptographic audits, clear use case definition, and hybrid classical-quantum strategies - will be best positioned to lead in the quantum era.