[2025 Future Business Forum] "Quantum Computers: Both a Moonshot and a Loonshot... Preparation Requires a Long-Term Perspective"

"Quantum Computers Are Both a Moonshot and a Loonshot"
Seonghyuk Kim Emphasizes the Need for Long-term Preparation and Concrete Strategies

"Quantum computers are both a Moonshot and a Loonshot. We need to prepare for them with a long-term perspective."

Seonghyuk Kim, Senior Research Fellow (Executive Director) of Quantum AI TASK at LG Electronics, made this statement during his lecture titled "Quantum Computing: Hype vs Reality, Quantum Computers from the Perspective of Enterprises" at the Future Business Forum hosted by Asia Economy on June 11. Kim explained, "A Moonshot refers to an ambitious goal in which everyone expects significant results, such as sending a spacecraft to the moon, and it requires major investment." He continued, "In contrast, a Loonshot is a project that is often dismissed and neglected, with its advocates considered eccentric, but if successful, it can become a truly innovative game changer." Quoting physicist Richard Feynman, who said, "I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics," Kim emphasized that quantum computers remain an 'unknown technology.' Nevertheless, he made it clear that it is essential to develop concrete strategies for their practical application.

[2025 Future Business Forum] "Quantum Computers: Both a Moonshot and a Loonshot... Preparation Requires a Long-Term Perspective"

Seonghyuk Kim, Senior Research Fellow of Quantum AI TASK at LG Electronics, is giving a presentation on the topic "Quantum Science and Technology, from Innovation to Industry (Challenges and Opportunities for Korean Companies)" at the "2025 Asia Future Business Forum" hosted by Asia Economy at Lotte Hotel, Jung-gu, Seoul on June 11, 2025. Photo by Yongjun Cho

He stated, "Currently, quantum computing requires a 'fundamentally different' technological innovation," and argued, "One such innovation is using scaling technology as an opportunity for compressed growth." He suggested leveraging Korea’s strengths in manufacturing for quantum hardware and applying semiconductor process technology to quantum processors, thereby making the most of Korea's industrial characteristics.

Displaying a diagram that filled the entire screen, he explained the core principles of quantum computers and argued that the focus should be on their 'problem-solving capabilities' rather than viewing them as a fictional technology. He emphasized that, rather than simply competing over qubits (the basic unit of quantum computing operations), the core of research and development (R&D) should be securing algorithms and computing infrastructure specialized for each industry sector. In fact, LG Electronics is exploring ways to apply quantum computing to product design and analysis. The company is also developing multiphysics analysis-based algorithms in collaboration with the French company Pasqal.

Regarding LG Electronics’ related strategy, Kim stressed, "We must secure quantum source technologies (algorithms) and differentiated core quantum computing infrastructure capabilities that can solve practical problems in key business areas through collaboration with leading academic and industrial partners in quantum technology both domestically and internationally." He added, "We will lay the foundation for preparing to transition to quantum computing technology and for discovering new business areas."

He also drew attention to the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI), launched last April by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) under the U.S. Department of Defense. The goal of QBI is to verify quantum computers and application areas with high potential for practical use by 2033. He mentioned that another objective is to use objectively standardized verification tools to compare the technologies and development plans of various companies, identify quantum computing systems whose computational value far exceeds their cost, and find the companies developing the most useful approaches.

Kim commented, "The United States is now actively working to select the most promising companies and technologies among dozens of related firms that are likely to become practical within the next ten years, in order to secure quantum leadership." He assessed this as "separating reality from hype." He also pointed out that quantitative verification and standardization of related technologies are essential, and warned that relying solely on exaggerated promotion without performance standards is risky.

Meanwhile, Seonghyuk Kim has been leading AI sensing and quantum AI research and development as part of the CTO division at LG Electronics since January last year. Since March of the same year, he has also served as a policy advisory member for Seoul City's quantum industry. In March of this year, he served as an executive committee member of the Quantum Strategy Committee.