Abstract The development of quantum technology is facing substantial scientific and technological challenges. More importantly, there are as-yet-unknown aspects and applications of quantum technology to be uncovered. There is thus global acknowledgement by stakeholder communities and governments alike that the ongoing advancement of quantum science and technology ought to be an international pursuit in which the strain between competition and cooperation is balanced through collaboration. It is in this spirit of ‘coopetition’ that this article seeks to give a cross-sectional view of the state of Quantum 2.0 technology in the USA, Europe and Japan, by providing the predictions of a large number of experts concerning progress in quantum technology over the next two decades.
Abstract The development of quantum technology is facing substantial scientific and technological challenges. More importantly, there are as-yet-unknown aspects and applications of quantum technology to be uncovered. There is thus global acknowledgement by stakeholder communities and governments alike that the ongoing advancement of quantum science and technology ought to be an international pursuit in which the strain between competition and cooperation is balanced through collaboration. It is in this spirit of ‘coopetition’ that this article seeks to give a cross-sectional view of the state of Quantum 2.0 technology in the USA, Europe and Japan, by providing the predictions of a large number of experts concerning progress in quantum technology over the next two decades.
Recently, the European Commission supported by many European countries has announced large investments towards the commercialization of quantum technology (QT) to address and mitigate some of the biggest challenges facing today's digital era - e.g. secure communication and computing power. For more than two decades the QT community has been working on the development of QTs, which promise landmark breakthroughs leading to commercialization in various areas. The ambitious goals of the QT community and expectations of EU authorities cannot be met solely by individual initiatives of single countries, and therefore, require a combined European effort of large and unprecedented dimensions comparable only to the Galileo or Copernicus programs. Strong international competition calls for a coordinated European effort towards the development of QT in and for space, including research and development of technology in the areas of communication and sensing. Here, we aim at summarizing the state of the art in the development of quantum technologies which have an impact in the field of space applications. Our goal is to outline a complete framework for the design, development, implementation, and exploitation of quantum technology in space.
Quantum information science and technology is a vast field that includes computing, telecommunications, detection and sensors, with a wide range of applications. Taken together, these technologies promise to revolutionise our information systems. The significant advances in quantum technologies in recent years, and their implications for security and the economy in particular, have created a real momentum of interest among governments, including in Europe. Despite the impressive advances made by the two giants, China and the United States, and unlike most other digital technologies, Europe (in the geographical sense) is well placed in the global race for quantum technologies. On this promising basis, can Europe hope to achieve technological sovereignty in quantum technology? There are two main challenges: firstly, reconciling the objective of sovereignty with international cooperation, and secondly, ensuring that any quantum strategy is rooted in a holistic, long-term perspective.
Within the last two decades, quantum technologies (QT) have made tremendous progress, moving from Nobel Prize award-winning experiments on quantum physics (1997: Chu, Cohen-Tanoudji, Phillips; 2001: Cornell, Ketterle, Wieman; 2005: Hall, Hänsch-, Glauber; 2012: Haroche, Wineland) into a cross-disciplinary field of applied research. Technologies are being developed now that explicitly address individual quantum states and make use of the 'strange' quantum properties, such as superposition and entanglement. The field comprises four domains: quantum communication, where individual or entangled photons are used to transmit data in a provably secure way; quantum simulation, where well-controlled quantum systems are used to reproduce the behaviour of other, less accessible quantum systems; quantum computation, which employs quantum effects to dramatically speed up certain calculations, such as number factoring; and quantum sensing and metrology, where the high sensitivity of coherent quantum systems to external perturbations is exploited to enhance the performance of measurements of physical quantities. In Europe, the QT community has profited from several EC funded coordination projects, which, among other things, have coordinated the creation of a 150-page QT Roadmap ( http://qurope.eu/h2020/qtflagship/roadmap2016 ). This article presents an updated summary of this roadmap.
In the early decades of the 20th century, the inception of quantum mechanics catalyzed the first quantum revolution, resulting in groundbreaking technological advances, such as nuclear energy, semiconductors, lasers, nuclear magnetic resonance, superconductivity, and global satellite positioning systems. These innovations have promoted significant progress in material civilization, fundamentally changed the way of life and societal landscape of humanity. Since the 1990s, quantum control technology has made significant strides forward, ushering in a rapid evolution of quantum technologies, notably exemplified by quantum information science. This encompasses domains such as quantum communication, quantum computing, and quantum precision measurement, offering paradigm-shifting solutions for enhancing information transmission security, accelerating computational speed, and elevating measurement precision. These advances hold the potential to provide crucial underpinning for national security and the high-quality development of the national economy. The swift progression of quantum information technology heralds the advent of the second quantum revolution. Following nearly three decades of concerted efforts, China’s quantum information technology field as a whole has achieved a leap. Specifically, China presently assumes a prominent international role in both the research and practical application of quantum communication, leading the global domain in quantum computing, and achieving international preeminence or advanced standing across various facets of quantum precision measurement. Presently, it is imperative to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the developmental priorities in the realm of quantum information in China for the forthcoming 5 to 10 years, in alignment with national strategic priorities and the evolving landscape of international competition. This will enable the proactive establishment of next-generation information technology systems that are secure, efficient, autonomous, and controllable.
The rapid advancement of quantum computing technology presents unprecedented opportunities and challenges for global governance. This comprehensive study examines the current landscape of international quantum computing regulation, exploring the delicate balance between fostering innovation and addressing security concerns. Through a mixed-methods approach, including policy analysis, expert interviews, and case studies of key countries and regions, we identify significant fragmentation in regulatory approaches, a pressing need for standardization, and ethical considerations that demand immediate attention. Our findings reveal strong stakeholder support for international cooperation, despite geopolitical tensions, and highlight the risk of a growing "quantum divide" between nations. Based on these insights, we propose a series of recommendations, including the establishment of an International Quantum Governance Forum, the adoption of a risk-based adaptive regulatory framework, and the implementation of a Global Quantum Literacy Initiative. This research contributes to the ongoing dialogue on quantum technology governance and provides a roadmap for policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders to navigate the complexities of regulating this transformative technology. By addressing these challenges proactively, we can harness the full potential of quantum computing while mitigating its risks, ultimately shaping a quantum future that benefits all of humanity.
The research fields of quantum information processing and communication are now well established, although still growing and developing. It was realized early on that there is significant potential for new technologies and applications, leading to the vision of a whole new quantum information technology industry. The vision is not yet reality, and there are many open questions with regard to how it might become so. This article raises some of these questions, and gives a viewpoint on how we might proceed, from where we are today towards a quantum information technology industry in the future.