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# Quantum Close-Up: What Engineers Need to Know Before Q-Day


- **Event:** World Congress 2026 North America

## Description

Quantum is already here — in post-quantum security standards, AI-accelerated research, advanced simulation, and new forms of compute quietly reshaping what's possible at the infrastructure layer. What hasn't arrived yet is Q-Day. And when it does, it won't announce itself. It will be a progression we recognize only once it's already underway. AI took 70+ years to reach its GenAI inflection point. Quantum won't take that long, and AI-accelerated research is likely to get us there faster than most teams are planning for. This session gives engineers and tech leaders a practical framework for what to act on now, what can wait, and where early readiness creates real competitive advantage, drawing on PwC research and patents to ground the conversation in what's actually happening, not what's hypothetical. 

## Speaker

### [Scott Likens](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/@scott-likens)

Global Chief AI Engineer, Principal at PwC US 


## Related talks at this congress

- [Making Science Larger, not just Faster](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/events/world-congress-2026-north-america/sessions/1702-making-science) — Yuval Dvir
- [The Things Your AI Isn't Telling You](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/events/world-congress-2026-north-america/sessions/1710-the-things-your-ai) — Desmond Lamptey
- [Reinventing Testing Practices in the AI Era](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/events/world-congress-2026-north-america/sessions/1724-reinventing-testing) — Eric Deandrea
- [Building the AI Era Through Developer Communities: A Competitive Advantage for Engineers & Teams](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/events/world-congress-2026-north-america/sessions/1748-building-the-ai-era) — John Komarnicki

## Watch remotely

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## Links

- [Get tickets](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/world-congress-north-america/tickets)