Investors bid up IonQ after AT&T partners with rival D-Wave, signaling broader quantum computing adoption in telecom.
IonQ (IONQ) climbed 8.4% by midday Monday after AT&T announced a partnership with D-Wave Quantum (QBTS) to use quantum computing for network optimization. D-Wave’s stock rose 5.5% on the news, but IonQ outperformed, reflecting investor optimism about its potential inclusion in similar deals.
AT&T will deploy D-Wave’s annealing quantum technology to enhance AI-driven traffic management and outage detection. The telecom giant also indicated plans to explore other quantum computing solutions, suggesting openness to alternative providers like IonQ.
The market reaction underscores growing interest in quantum computing’s role in telecom infrastructure, with investors speculating on expanded adoption across the sector.