Trying to Explain Quantum in Two Sentences

A few days ago, a close friend challenged me to explain quantum in two sentences. I talk about quantum computing almost every day—on panels, in meetings, on calls with entrepreneurs and policymakers—so I assumed I’d have an answer ready. Instead, I paused.

That moment reminded me of an exercise I used to run with executives when I was helping companies sharpen their communications strategies. At one Fortune 100 company, I asked the leadership team to describe what the business did. Every person gave a different answer. That kind of disconnect isn’t unusual. Most organizations, especially large ones, contain multitudes. But if leaders can’t articulate the company’s purpose in a unified way, the outside world certainly won’t understand it either. The work was always to refine, to simplify, and to align.

Quantum is facing a similar challenge. It’s difficult to pin down because it’s not just a faster computer or another incremental improvement. It’s something fundamentally different—a paradigm shift in how we use the laws of physics to process information.

Classical computers run on bits: ones and zeros. Quantum computers use qubits, which can be in multiple states at once and influence each other in ways that defy everyday intuition. This allows them to explore possibilities in parallel rather than step by step. For some problems—like simulating new materials, improving supply chains, or breaking current encryption—that’s a huge advantage. But even those examples probably understate what’s ahead.

Richard Feynman once said, “If you think you understand quantum mechanics, you don’t understand quantum mechanics.”

I’ve spent the last seven years learning as much as I can about quantum technology, and I still feel like I’m just scratching the surface. Even some of the world’s top physicists would admit the same. And that’s okay—this field is designed to challenge how we think.

The internet is a helpful analogy. In the 1970s, even the most visionary technologists couldn’t have imagined the role it plays in our lives today. They knew it was powerful, but they couldn’t describe TikTok, Amazon, or a video call with grandparents halfway across the globe. Quantum is at a similar stage. We can sketch its outlines, but its full impact will only be understood decades from now.

And here’s the other thing: even once we agree on what quantum is today, that definition won’t hold for long. As the science advances, as boundaries are broken, and as we begin to see things that were once invisible, quantum will take on entirely new forms. The unseen today will become the foundation of tomorrow.

That uncertainty leads some people to approach quantum with fear. And it’s true—quantum will raise big questions about security, economics, and even geopolitics. But fear isn’t the right lens. We’ve been here before with electricity, with the internet, with artificial intelligence. Each new wave of technology brings disruption, yes, but also opportunity. The right response is not to shrink from it, but to engage, to learn, and to guide its development responsibly. If we do that, quantum won’t be something that happens to us—it will be something we shape for the better.

So back to my friend’s challenge. After thinking about it, here’s my attempt at two sentences:

Quantum is a new way of using the fundamental laws of physics to process information. It won’t replace the computers we use today, but it will allow us to solve problems that were once thought unsolvable.

That’s how I see it—for now. But I’d love to hear how others would explain it. How would you describe quantum in two sentences?