Quantum Information Technology Governance System

Y. Hirayama

Elija Perrier

Abstract The emergence of quantum information technologies with potential application across diverse industrial, consumer and technical domains has thrown into relief the need for practical approaches to their governance. Technology governance must balance multiple objectives including facilitating technological development while meeting legal requirements, normative expectations and managing risks regarding the use of such technology. In this paper, we articulate a variety of idealised governance models and approaches for synthesising these complementary and sometimes competing objectives. We set out a comparative analysis of quantum governance in the context of existing models of technological governance. Using this approach, we develop an actor-instrument model for quantum governance, denoted the ‘quantum governance stack’, across a governance hierarchy from states and governments through to public and private institutions. Our model sets out key characteristics that quantum governance should exhibit at each level in the stack, including identification of stakeholder rights, interests and obligations impacted by quantum technologies and the appropriate instruments by which such impacts are managed. We argue that quantum governance must be responsive based on (a) the state of technology at the time; (b) resource and economic requirements for its development; and (c) assessments and estimates of the near-term and future impacts of such technology. Our work provides a pragmatic introduction to quantum governance by (a) specifying a taxonomy of governance actors and instruments and (b) providing examples of how different stakeholders within the stack might implement governance responses to quantum information technologies. It is intended for use by stakeholders in government, industry, academia and civil society to help inform their governance response to the quantum technology revolution.

Alexander Sigov, Leonid Ratkin, Leonid A. Ivanov

Shen Xiaowang

On May 28, 2026, the OECD Council adopted the Recommendation of the Council on Quantum Technologies (OECD/LEGAL/0508), the world's first intergovernmental standard for quantum technologies, marking the official transition of quantum technology governance from "academic discussion" to "institutional construction". At the same time, Academician Pan Jianwei of the Chinese Academy of Sciences warned at the 2026 Future Science Forum that excessive capital enthusiasm and conceptual hype in the quantum information industry are rampant, calling for the establishment of a national-level technology evaluation mechanism and industry access standards. The disruptive impact of quantum computing on existing encryption systems, the geopolitical implications of quantum communication, and the military applications of quantum sensing have made quantum technology a new frontier in great power competition. Based on the eight-dimensional framework of Prim-Lex Theory (Economic Climatology), this paper introduces, for the first time, quantum technology governance into the mathematical expression of a complexified unified field. From Prim-Unity·Prim-Fire (quantum computing energy consumption and qubit coherence time) to Eight Trigrams·Eight Information (entropy governance of quantum information networks), it constructs a quantitative assessment system for quantum technology governance dimension by dimension. Using three empirical anchors——the US-China-Europe quantum competition, post-quantum cryptography (PQC) standardization and migration, and the quantum-safe encryption standards debate——this paper demonstrates the application pathway of the eight-dimensional framework in identifying "phase differences" and "critical windows" in quantum governance, providing a quantifiable, programmable, and auditable mathematical language and governance tool for the transition of global quantum technology from "technological competition" to "sustainable governance."

Mateo Aboy, Marcelo Corrales Compagnucci, Timo Minssen

This chapter offers an overview of Quantum Technology Governance : Law & Regulation , highlighting the foundational role of quantum information technology (QIT) and the legal, regulatory, and geopolitical considerations arising from its recent advancements. It maps how quantum computing, communication, and sensing intersect with established legal and governance frameworks across intellectual property, cybersecurity, export controls, and international law. The chapter introduces a progressive analytical structure that begins with QIT’s ontological and governance foundations before turning to domain-specific regulatory considerations and global strategic implications. It synthesizes key themes developed throughout the volume, including adaptive legal interpretation; layered governance mechanisms such as the governance-stack model; mixed intellectual property strategies combining patents, trade secrets, and open innovation; empirical patent trends; EU and US approaches to quantum-enabled cybersecurity risks; the evolution of export control architectures; and the application of effects-based norms in public international law. Across these domains, the chapter identifies a recurring theme of regulatory adaptability. Although QIT introduces non-classical features that stress-test existing legal and policy systems, we argue that many challenges can be met through interpretive flexibility, evidence-based policymaking, and technology governance rather than wholesale doctrinal reform. By integrating legal analysis, empirical insights, and international governance perspectives, the chapter provides policymakers, technologists, scholars, and practitioners with a roadmap for responsible quantum governance as technologies transition from theoretical potential to practical deployment.

Shaunak Bellubbi