​​How the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) Quantified the Race to a Quantum-Safe Future

​As part of IBM’s effort to create a global benchmark for quantum-safe readiness, the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) partnered with Phronesis Partners on a global research program involving 750 senior executives across 28 countries. The resulting insights contributed to IBM’s Quantum-Safe Readiness Index (QSRI), reinforcing IBM’s leadership in guiding organizations toward a secure post-quantum future. 

​​Challenge  

​​The rise of quantum computing poses risks to global encryption standards, potentially exposing sensitive enterprise and government data to future “harvest-now, decrypt-later” attacks. IBM saw an urgent need to quantify global readiness and provide a credible benchmark.  

​​Their goal was to create a Quantum-Safe Readiness Index (QSRI) that would track enterprise maturity, reveal governance and skill gaps, and highlight those leading in quantum-safe adoption. Without such visibility, organizations risked being unprepared for the inevitable disruption to current cybersecurity systems.

​​Approach  

​​​Phronesis supported IBV in executing a global research study designed to capture enterprise perspectives on quantum-safe readiness.  

​Scope:  

​        750 executives across 28 countries and 14 industries, all from enterprises exceeding $250M in annual revenue  

​Design:  

       Balanced respondent mix — 60% technology and security leaders, 40% business leaders  

​Execution:  

​​The Phronesis team worked closely with the IBM IBV team to refine the survey audience, ensure clarity across technical and business respondents, and deliver actionable insights rather than abstract data.  

​​Insights & Outcomes  

​​The research surfaced striking realities about enterprise readiness:  

​​One of the most telling findings: AI investments are crowding out quantum initiatives. Executives revealed that budgets and leadership attention have shifted heavily toward generative AI, delaying critical quantum-security efforts. Many equated “readiness” with limited proofs-of-concept rather than full-scale migration strategies.  

​​The Quantum-Safe Readiness Index was published by IBM IBV as a global benchmark, empowering organizations to measure progress, identify vulnerabilities, and accelerate their transition toward quantum-safe infrastructure.  

​​Download the report: Secure the post-quantum future