US accelerates race for quantum leadership

Washington, June 23 (IANS) The United States launched an ambitious new push into quantum technology as President Donald Trump signed executive orders designed to speed the development of advanced quantum computers and move federal agencies more quickly towards quantum-resistant cyber security systems.

The White House said the twin measures are intended to strengthen America’s position in a technology field increasingly viewed as critical to economic competitiveness, scientific discovery and national security.

“Quantum technologies represents the next generation of innovation across computing, sensing, and networking, with enormous significance for our country’s economic growth, scientific research, and cyber security,” Trump said at a White House signing ceremony.

The first executive order, titled Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation, establishes national goals for developing what the administration describes as a scientifically relevant quantum computer and advancing quantum-enabled sensors and networks.

Trump said the initiative would launch “a national effort to produce a quantum computer capable of performing important scientific calculations and to develop quantum enabled sensors and networks in the next five years”.

The administration believes such a machine could be achieved by 2028. The effort would help convert years of research into practical applications, a senior administration official said.

“We’re now at the moment where a lot of that research is starting to pay off into commercial applications. And what this executive order will do is turbocharge that,” the official told reporters during a background briefing.

According to administration officials, the Department of Energy will define the technical requirements for the system, which is expected to be deployed at a national laboratory or Department of Energy facility.

The order also seeks to expand domestic manufacturing capacity for quantum technologies, strengthen supply chains, create new workforce development programmes and deepen cooperation with allies on research, intellectual property protection and supply-chain security.

The second executive order focuses on cyber security. It accelerates the federal government’s transition to post-quantum cryptography, moving key deadlines forward to 2031.

National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross said the move was necessary because future quantum computers could challenge current encryption systems that protect financial transactions, critical infrastructure and government networks.

“As quantum rolls forward, it will challenge public key cryptography, which is what secures everything,” Cairncross said. “These two executive orders, which pair innovation and security, will address those issues.”

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the administration had already invested heavily in the sector.

“You all know that the government invested $2 billion just a couple of weeks ago in quantum to drive it forward,” he said, adding that the United States was also investing in domestic manufacturing capabilities to ensure advanced quantum technologies are built in America.

Technology industry leaders attending the event welcomed the initiative. Google President Ruth Porat called quantum computing “a breakthrough critical technology” and said, “The US is in the lead, will stay in the lead.”

IBM Chief Executive Arvind Krishna said government support would encourage greater private-sector investment. “The role of the government in pushing innovation and technology forward is what both of these will achieve,” he said.

Trump linked the initiative to the country’s broader technological ambitions.

“America is celebrating 250 years of ingenuity, innovation, and invention this year, and today’s commitments to quantum leadership will help secure that legacy for decades to come,” he said.

Quantum computing has become a strategic priority for governments around the world because of its potential to solve scientific, industrial and security challenges beyond the capabilities of conventional computers. Major powers, including the United States and China, have invested heavily in the technology over the past decade.

The latest executive orders build on the National Quantum Initiative Act signed by Trump in 2018. That law expanded federal support for quantum research and established a framework for collaboration among government agencies, universities and private industry, helping lay the foundation for the next phase of America’s quantum strategy.

–IANS

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