Quantum Innovation
Recently, the Trump Administration passed two very interesting Executive Orders titled “Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation” and “Securing the Nation Against Advanced Cryptographic Attacks.”
The first order relating to quantum innovation seeks to accelerate government research and infrastructure, local strengths, training of experts, access to national labs for scientists, and strong messages on the world stage.
The thing is, China is pouring a lot of money into science and technology, including cutting-edge efforts in AI, space, and quantum science. There are genuinely some fields where China has become the undisputed numero uno, and the US is playing catch-up, such as in solar power capacity. Thus, geopolitically, the US cannot rely solely on its private labs to carry it forward and address national security vulnerabilities. National policy documents like these play an important role in the coordination of interests in this regard.
What needs to be understood is that quantum computers exploit superposition and quantum entanglement, which involve deep physics problems such as decoherence and control precision at an unprecedented scale. Microsoft and Google are already pushing ahead with their quantum programs. These are capital-intensive endeavours, and national policy brings a basic level of stability here.
The critics may argue that such policy intent documents mean nothing, as it is the actual research and innovation that counts. However, this is only partially true. If a country or a region does not create a conducive atmosphere and framework for its innovative businesses and ventures to develop, then effective acceleration in growth is going to be sub-optimal in the long run.
Quantum Cryptography
Similarly, the second order passed by the White House, pertaining to quantum cryptography, is equally important. Powerful quantum computers have the potential to break modern encryption, on which banks, governments, the military, and everybody else rely. The collapse of the current encryption regime is a big risk that the entire society faces, and unless post-quantum cryptography is worked upon and developed actively so that we can slowly migrate to these systems over time, we will make ourselves vulnerable to advanced cryptographic attacks by cyber and quantum terrorists.
Thus, both the orders passed by the White House complement each other. While one tries to accelerate the ability of the US to build useful quantum computers, the other tries to protect American data and systems.
Lessons for India
It is high time that other countries like India also follow suit and develop their own quantum policies. In India, from the lowest strata of society to the highest, almost everybody is connected to the banking system now. Thus, huge vulnerabilities exist in India’s data systems as well. A well-timed quantum policy would promote growth in this nascent sector and protect the economy of the nation.