“Made in China 2025” is China’s initiative to rein as world leader in technology — from telecommunications to artificial intelligence coupled with robots to quantum computing. A key accomplishment has been the over $10B put into their civilian-military quantum computing complex; this is aside from corporate mega-giants Huawei and Alibaba’s ‘commercial’ efforts.
China shows eagerness to beat the U.S. in leading the world with quantum technology. Let alone the tech in and of itself, the Chinese have recently formed a commission to study and develop standards in this emerging field’s potential applications. To do so would give China the edge in leading the world’s marketplace. So what should the U.S. be doing?
Testimony delivered to the U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence leaves the winner of the “decades long marathon to develop a fully functional quantum computer” up in the air. Other testimony stated active research is being conducted on “quantum radar, imaging, and navigation technologies” by the Chinese defense industry. Further details are found in this research piece.
Recent legislative efforts in the U.S., technology advances, and international competition. Not to mention a skills shortage. Many challenges to international quantum computing competition; especially from China.
China is moving rapidly through developing quantum computing setting aside billions of U.S. dollars for research and development studies and facilities. In 2017, with the launch of the Micius satellite and subsequent successful quantum experiments involving entangled photons the Chinese appear to be leaps ahead of the global community. The brief history of China’s quantum ambitions and their thirst for supremacy in space have many implications in the geo-political spectrum. Will the ambitions reduce U.S. dominance internationally, both militarily and politically? THE NATIONAL INTEREST is carrying a very interesting piece covering China and possible influences to world stability if the path to quantum computing continues in its favor.
A team of scientists from France, Germany, and the U.S., are working to develop techniques and materials to produce “indistinguishable photons”. Doing so would permit greater integration into the current high-speed, light-based, computing infrastructure found throughout the globe. This is a necessity to expanding quantum computing, in a practical sense. Other facets to the research include increasing the quantum workforce: “Ultimately, we hope to draw more researchers into this field” the team commented.
Signs are promising that quantum computing will get here. Potential military uses are numerous and growing as more minds take on quantum information science. How have the Five Eyes nations – U.S., Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia – tackled complex military issues in the past? Is now the right time to circle the wagons as has been done throughout modern history?
The U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee announced they are writing a proposal for the National Quantum Initiative Act, a similar proposal to that of the Quantum Computing Research Act of 2018 recently proposed. A bit early in the development, the first blush appears to have a lighter government touch on the direction of U.S. quantum information science (QIS) than its recent predecessor, the NQCRA of 2018. The National Quantum Initiative Act will accelerate quantum research and development.
With attempts to establish cybersecurity in every aspect of our connected world struggling to succeed, quantum computing may arrive before true information security is established.
Canada, like Australia, the U.S., and well, China, is upping the ante in the quantum computing research business. Toronto-based firm Xanadu, has raised $9M to
