by Wen Tsui
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Quantum computing is no longer a fringe attraction at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026. This year, it was drawing crowds.
At CES Foundry, a new advanced-technology zone inside the Fontainebleau Las Vegas hotel, demonstration rooms filled quickly and lines formed outside as attendees waited to see quantum systems in action. Presentations on the show floor often reached standing-room-only.
Industry executives say the technology may be nearing a turning point, sometimes described as a "ChatGPT moment" -- when a complex idea breaks out of research labs and into wider use.
Quantum computers, which harness principles of quantum physics, are designed to tackle problems beyond the reach of classical computers. The technology is expected to play a role in drug discovery, financial modeling, supply-chain optimization, cybersecurity and a range of other fields requiring advanced computation.
"The momentum is building up," Pouya Dianat, Chief Revenue Officer of Quantum Computing Inc., told Xinhua, noting that progress has moved faster than many expected just a few years ago.
The buzz around quantum computing has been fueled in part by the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. Panelists at CES compared the current moment to AI's sudden acceleration after the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, noting that adoption could happen faster than businesses anticipate.
More than 200 international and U.S. government officials attended CES, including several senators and the heads of the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission. Their presence drew defense officials, policy analysts and international media focused on U.S. technology strategy.
Panel discussions at CES suggested that quantum computing may be edging closer to mainstream use. Ariel Braunstein, chief product officer at IonQ, compared its current stage to artificial intelligence just before ChatGPT's breakout, when early products existed but their broader impact was not yet clear. He warned that adoption could accelerate quickly, leaving slower-moving companies behind.
Jean-Francois Bobier of Boston Consulting Group said that once quantum computing shows clear commercial value, its future will shift from uncertain to inevitable, describing the moment as quantum's "ChatGPT moment." An IBM executive, Joseph S. Broz, said the gap between current quantum capabilities and business needs has narrowed sharply.
Rebecca Krauthamer, chief executive of quantum security firm QuSecure, said a similar inflection point could still be years away but predicted adoption would accelerate abruptly once it arrives.
Dianat said quantum computing is likely to develop alongside artificial intelligence rather than compete with it, pointing to early hybrid applications already in use.
CES organizers said attendance reached record levels this year, with more than 4,100 companies exhibiting across 13 venues and about 6,600 journalists registered. The show received a record 3,600 innovation award entries and hosted over 400 sessions with 1,300 speakers. ■
