Quantum information technologies, covering quantum computing, quantum communication and quantum sensing, are among the most significant technologies to emerge in recent decades, offering the promise of paradigm-shifting computational capacity with significant ethical consequences. On a technical level, the unique features of quantum information processing have consequences for the imposition of fairness and ethical constraints on computation. Despite its significance, little if no structured research has been undertaken into the ethical implications of such quantum technologies. In this paper, we fill this gap in the literature by presenting a roadmap for ethical quantum computing (and quantum information processing more generally) that sets out prospective research programmes. We summarise the key elements of quantum information processing (focusing on quantum computation) relevant to ethical analysis and set-out taxonomies for use by researchers considering the ethics of quantum technologies. In particular, we demonstrate how the unique features of quantum information processing gives rise to distinct ethical consequences (including in the context of machine learning). We situate quantum ethics at the cross-disciplinary intersection of quantum information science, technology ethics and moral philosophy to assess the impacts of this newly emerging technology. We provide specific examples of how the emergence of quantum technologies gives rise to normative and distributional ethical challenges. Finally, we set out prospective research directions to help inaugurate the cross-disciplinary field of the ethics of quantum computing.
Quantum information technologies, covering quantum computing, quantum communication and quantum sensing, are among the most significant technologies to emerge in recent decades, offering the promise of paradigm-shifting computational capacity with significant ethical consequences. On a technical level, the unique features of quantum information processing have consequences for the imposition of fairness and ethical constraints on computation. Despite its significance, little if no structured research has been undertaken into the ethical implications of such quantum technologies. In this paper, we fill this gap in the literature by presenting a roadmap for ethical quantum computing (and quantum information processing more generally) that sets out prospective research programmes. We summarise the key elements of quantum information processing (focusing on quantum computation) relevant to ethical analysis and set-out taxonomies for use by researchers considering the ethics of quantum technologies. In particular, we demonstrate how the unique features of quantum information processing gives rise to distinct ethical consequences (including in the context of machine learning). We situate quantum ethics at the cross-disciplinary intersection of quantum information science, technology ethics and moral philosophy to assess the impacts of this newly emerging technology. We provide specific examples of how the emergence of quantum technologies gives rise to normative and distributional ethical challenges. Finally, we set out prospective research directions to help inaugurate the cross-disciplinary field of the ethics of quantum computing.
Quantum information technologies, covering quantum computing, quantum communication and quantum sensing, are among the most significant technologies to emerge in recent decades, offering the promise of paradigm-shifting computational capacity with significant ethical consequences. On a technical level, the unique features of quantum information processing have potential consequences for the imposition of fairness and ethical constraints on computation. Despite their significance, structured research is only beginning to be undertaken into the ethical implications of such quantum technologies, much of it piecemeal and unsystematic. In this work, we present a roadmap for prospective research programs focused upon the ethics of quantum computing. We summarize the key elements of quantum information processing (concentrating on quantum computation) relevant to ethical analysis and set out taxonomies for use by researchers considering the ethics of quantum technologies. We show how the unique features of quantum information processing may give rise to distinct ethical consequences (including in the context of machine learning). We situate quantum ethics at the cross-disciplinary intersection of quantum information science, technology ethics and moral philosophy to assess the impacts of this newly emerging technology. We provide specific examples of how the emergence of quantum technologies gives rise to normative and distributional ethical challenges. To this end, we propose a three-pillar research roadmap spanning technical foundations, governance and stakeholder responsibility, and risk management. Central to this approach is the need to integrate ethical constraints within the design and control of quantum systems, reflecting the close relationship between normative reasoning and physical implementation. We further introduce the “four C’s” (computability, complexity, consistency, and controllability) as a framework for assessing the feasibility of ethically constrained quantum computation, and illustrate how quantum technologies reshape established domains such as fair machine learning, privacy, and cryptography. Finally, we set out prospective research directions to help contribute to the development of the field. By integrating quantum information science with ethical theory and governance, this chapter provides a foundation for interdisciplinary research in quantum ethics.
Abstract As quantum computing development advances closer toward achieving fault-tolerant error-corrected realisation, debates on applications, impacts, risks, and benefits of quantum computing are timely and due. While there is awareness of the potential power and complexity of quantum computers, there has been relatively little attention on the social impacts and ethical implications of this technology. In grappling with the social impacts of quantum computing, some stakeholders have turned to applied ethics, specifically (classical) computer and Artificial Intelligence (AI) ethics, for guidance. While computer and AI ethics are useful starting points for evaluating the ethical issues posed by quantum computing, uncritically applying existing sets of ethical principles risks overlooking how quantum computing differs from these technologies. We argue that borrowing of ethical principles and guidelines from AI and computing is inappropriate for several reasons: (1) quantum computing, classical computing, and AI are different technologies with significant material differences; (2) unlike AI and classical computers which have become established, quantum computing is an emerging technology, which has implications on the levels of accessibility and immediate impact in society; and (3) there are significant differences in the way AI and quantum computing have been developed and by whom. We also briefly summarise some of the unique risks and societ al impacts posed by quantum computing. We posit that these reasons support the argument for a new sub-field of quantum computing ethics, which would allow a relevant scholarship to develop and provide guidance as quantum computing technology continues to mature.
Visions of future technologies shape their development trajectories, making them important objects of ethical analysis. This paper examines contemporary visions of quantum computing and the futures they project. First, we analyse vision statements by key actors in the field, focusing on anticipated technical affordances, the applications these give rise to, their associated domains, and the value-laden terms used to describe these projections. Drawing on these insights, we distil four main visions of quantum computing, each framing its societal relevance differently: as a contributor to the public good, a scientific tool, an economic asset, or a geopolitical advantage. Second, we highlight ethically salient patterns and presuppositions embedded within these visions, including a pervasive techno-optimism paired with techno-solutionist reasoning; the prevalence of promissory language used to legitimise innovation agendas; and a morally ambivalent discourse shaped by the interests of a narrow group of powerful actors. Taken together, these features form a figurative heatmap of potential ethical concerns in contemporary visions of quantum computing that warrant closer ethical scrutiny and point to avenues for further research.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been evolving at a very rapid pace, with increase in compute power, thus reshaping how complex problems are handled and interpreted from vast amounts of information. AI and newly emerging Quantum Computing have each made significant strides in recent years. Quantum computing has surfaced as a promising new paradigm that leverages on unique quantum phenomena such as like superposition and entanglement to potentially deliver dramatic gains in computational power. Increasingly, researchers are combining these distinct fields into "quantum AI," exploring ways to harness quantum devices for data-intensive tasks, advanced optimisation, and even tentative investigations into emergent machine "awareness." Already researchers have established the quantum advantage over classical AI. This paper outlines the fundamental aspects of AI with respect to quantum computing. It also surveys possible benefits for deep learning and optimization, and considers key concerns related to hardware readiness, algorithmic design, and ethical frameworks. By mapping current progress and pinpointing ongoing hurdles, we provide an entry-level guide to quantum AI's prospects and the steps required for its real-world deployment.
This chapter explores whether quantum computing presents fundamentally new ethical challenges or whether its dilemmas can be addressed by adapting existing ethical frameworks from classical computing. Drawing on a thematic review of the emerging literature in quantum computing ethics, we focus on key concerns three domains: security, justice, and governance. By comparing these to historical case studies from classical computing ethics and introducing the concept of "layer shifts" across technology stacks, we argue that quantum computing ethics does not require a wholesale ethical reinvention but rather a careful translation of established principles to new technical contexts. This comparative analysis highlights the enduring relevance of openness, transparency, and distributed governance while acknowledging areas where quantumspecific developments may demand novel approaches.
Quantum Computing (QC) represents a class of technologies that harness fundamental principles of quantum mechanics, particularly superposition and entanglement, to process, transmit, and secure information in ways unattainable by classical systems [1]. Positioned at the core of Quantum Information and Communication Technologies (QICT) [2], QC is central to the ongoing Second Quantum Revolution, driving innovation infrastructures and redefining capabilities in computation, networking, and secure information exchange at fundamental levels [3]. Unlike the first quantum revolution, which focused on physics and laboratory experiments, today's Quantum technology (QT) applications are inherently digital, dependent on and deeply integrated within the digital stack, relying on cloud platforms, high-performance computing, advanced telecommunications, and potentially converging with other emerging digital technologies (EDT) such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, big data, the Internet of Things (IoT) [4], [5], offering new paradigms for the digital economy and society [6]. While there remains considerable uncertainty regarding their practical, scalable applications, the disruptive potential of QC is increasingly recognized [7] with profound ethical, legal, social, and policy implications [8] and a need for practical approaches to their governance [9]. QC is not a standalone technology, but operates as a complex innovation ecosystem where research, policy, markets, and ethics co-evolve [10].