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Recently, China and Russia announced that they successfully tested quantum communication over a distance of 3,800 kilometers, using secure keys transmitted by Chinas quantum satellite. Although no peer review research is or is expected to be made available, the satellite could give the nations a fully secure, unhackable link of communications.

Recently, the Eurasian Times is reporting that India one of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) was invited to join this quantum communication project.

As last years the Future Technologies forum, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he expected to discuss with Indian partners, particularly in cutting-edge computing technology, data processing, storage, and transmission technologies.

The partnership would benefit the China-Russia project greatly. The countrys quantum communication research is advanced and these capabilities are growing.

While the invite appears to be rejected by India because of suspicions about China, according to the Eurasian Times, the news should be a reason for concern among the rapidly emerging quantum ecosystem in Western states. In the rapidly evolving world of quantum computing, more and deeper partnerships and collaborations with India would not just beneficial; they will be imperative.

As nations across the globe race to harness the transformative power of quantum technology, India stands out as a critical partner for the Western quantum ecosystem. The reasons for this are many, ranging from geopolitical significance to an abundant talent pool, technological prowess and more.

Indias strategic position in the global quantum community is as obvious as it is seemingly ignored. With its growing economy, political stability and strategic location, India is a pivotal player in global affairs. For Western countries, partnering with India in quantum computing could be not just a technological collaboration but a geopolitical strategy.

India would offer a counterbalance to other dominant forces in the quantum realm, particularly China, which is aggressively advancing its quantum capabilities. The West could serve as a counterbalance to China for India, as well.

An Indo-Western quantum alliance would foster a more diversified and balanced global quantum landscape, reducing the risk of a single-nation monopoly in this critical field.

Indias greatest asset in the quantum journey is undoubtedly its talent. The country has a vast reservoir of young, talented, and highly skilled professionals in STEM fields. The Quantum Insiders Intelligence Platform lists more than 100 universities, government entities, research instiutions, companies and investors centered around India.

Indian universities and research institutions are churning out world-class scientists, engineers and programmers, many of whom are already contributing significantly to global tech giants and research labs. In the jigsaw puzzle of developing quantum supply chains, the biggest missing pieces for growing quantum startups is the lack of trained, skilled professionals.

By integrating this talent pool into the Western quantum ecosystem, there is an opportunity to accelerate innovation and development.

Additionally, such integration would provide Indian professionals with international exposure and opportunities, further enhancing their skills and contributions.

India has been making strides in quantum computing and related technologies.

The Indian governments significant investments in quantum research under initiatives like the National Mission on Quantum Technologies and Applications (NM-QTA) reflect a commitment to this field. By partnering with Western nations, India can leverage their advanced research facilities, funding, and expertise, leading to a synergistic relationship.

This collaboration would not only aid in the development of cutting-edge quantum technologies but also ensure that these advancements are grounded in diverse perspectives, leading to more robust and versatile solutions.

The economic benefits of a robust Indo-Western partnership in quantum computing are immense.

Quantum technology is poised to revolutionize industries from cybersecurity to healthcare, finance, and logistics. By collaborating, both India and Western countries can tap into new markets, foster innovation, and drive economic growth. For India, it would mean an influx of foreign investment, job creation, and an opportunity to position itself as a leader in the quantum sector.

Its likely that India would have access to commercial opportunities in the West that they would not have in a Russia-China partnership.

Such partnerships often extend beyond mere technological collaborations. And these collaborations could benefit quantum science, in general.

Increased Indo-Western collaborations could pave the way for cultural and educational exchanges, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of diverse viewpoints and practices. Joint research programs, academic exchanges, and collaborative projects between Indian and Western universities would enrich the educational experiences of students and researchers alike.

This cross-pollination of ideas is invaluable in a field as dynamic and interdisciplinary as quantum computing.

Perhaps, as a side note, Western universities, too, are facing cratering demographic issues that will affect enrollments. Indian talent could help shore up some of the damage of these shifting trends in student enrollment.

In a world increasingly defined by digital threats, quantum computing holds the key to unparalleled advancements in cybersecurity. An Indo-Western partnership in this domain would enhance collective security capabilities, particularly in encryption and data protection.

In addition, for India, such collaboration offers a path to strategic autonomy. By developing its quantum capabilities, India can ensure its national security, protect its data sovereignty, and reduce dependence on other nations for critical technologies.

When it comes to quantum strengths, India offers a buffet table of solid and innovative research output and entrepreneurship in many areas of the quantum industry and is leveraging quantum computers to explore key use cases. Just a few examples:

General Impact and Applications: Quantum computing is seen as a key driver for advancements in various fields such as medications, machine learning, cybersecurity and climate change, with significant investment and initiatives like Indias quantum mission aiming to develop a 50-qubit computer (Khan, Dalawai, & Nagachandan, 2020).

Enhancement of Artificial Intelligence: The integration of quantum computing with AI is expected to significantly boost the capabilities of research activities globally (Mehta, Paharia, Singh, & Salman, 2019).

Renewable Energy Applications: Research explores the utilization of quantum computing for industrial applications, particularly in the renewable energy sector (Rajawat et al., 2022).

Sustainable Development in IT Industry: Quantum computing is recognized for its potential to revolutionize the Indian IT industry, contributing to sustainable development and employment generation (Chatterjee, 2018).

Quantum Information Theory and Quantum Computation: Papers explore various aspects of quantum information theory and its applications in computation and communication (Pati & Agrawal, 2012).

Obviously, the benefits of such a partnership are multifaceted from geopolitical advantages to technological advancements, economic growth, and beyond. However, it may seem like a simplistic rundown of advantages. There are, of course, concerns. Adding more pieces to an already complex ecosystem offers just one more point of failure. Security risks for the broad Western quantum community could be exposed as well.

Understanding those concerns, there is a growing acknowledgement that the world stands on the brink of the development of quantum technology, for good and ill. The collaboration between India and Western nations could very well be the catalyst that propels us into a new era of technological prowess and innovation.

More:
India's Emergence Makes It a Critical Partner For The Western Quantum Ecosystem - The Quantum Insider

With help from Christine Mui and Steven Overly

Participants waiting for a session at the 2024 meeting of the World Economic Forum. | Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

Davos wants you to plan to have a plan on quantum technology.

The World Economic Forum that sponsors the annual Switzerland confab released a Quantum Economy Blueprint today its first major paper on how a global economy centered around quantum technology might develop, even as many skeptics say the technology isnt yet ready for prime time.

Its authors, a trio of researchers from the WEF, AI and quantum startup SandboxAQ, and IBM, lay out a set of recommendations and examples for how countries can find their fit in the global development of quantum computing, sensing, and communications technologies especially as China invests billions into the technology largely in isolation from the West.

If youve been reading DFDs past coverage of quantum developments, you might be wondering: Isnt it a bit early for this? Thats what the reports authors are counting on, writing that seizing on an early adopter advantage will allow governments to get infrastructure in place to ensure all countries are able to benefit from the gradual replacement of zeroes and ones by superposition and entanglement.

Notably, the report, with the full backing of the WEF, makes assumptions about quantum that are decidedly up for debate in the wider research community. Those include: it will be possible to build a useful, fully programmable universal fault-tolerant quantum computer; quantum computing will make the computation of specific problems more efficient or precise, and that quantum utility, the ability for existing quantum computers to solve problems beyond classical computings reach, has been demonstrated.

(Some in the commercial sector even say the WEF isnt bullish enough Allison Schwartz, government relations lead for commercial quantum company D-Wave, told DFD in a statement that the report narrowly focuses on a single approach that is far from market readiness in a manner that skews the timelines for adoption and near-term application development.)

With that in mind I pinged Sergio Gago Huerta, head of quantum at Moodys and someone who does not hesitate to call out quantum hype as the author of the Quantum Pirates Substack newsletter. Huerta was all in favor of the blueprint, saying that by focusing on governance and infrastructure it provides helpful pointers to pretty much anyone hoping to compete or even participate in the quantum economy.

Every country should have their own quantum program, either as part of a coalition or by themselves, Huerta wrote in an email. He noted that while many countries tend to focus on quantum as a cyber threat the ability of quantum computers to bust traditional cryptography is one of the most well-established findings in the field the report provides welcome focus on other technologies like quantum sensing and metrology, something governments will need to provide enough support, governance and training [for]... in order to stay relevant and keep a competitive advantage.

Celia Merzbacher, executive director of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium that aims to grow quantum in the U.S., was a consultant on the report. She praised its analysis of the complex landscape facing nations on quantum and said it would be useful to anyone working right now in the quantum technology stack.

The report takes a granular dive into nations quantum building blocks, from national research funding to politics to worker training, and finds not surprisingly that the most successful innovation efforts come from deeply interconnected and collaborative ecosystems.

One example they cite is the United Kingdoms National Quantum Strategy: In that case, pumping a billion-plus British pounds into the U.K.s research infrastructure led to a successful effort to develop commercial applications for quantum in fields like the automotive industry, telecom, and defense.

At a smaller scale, that virtuous-cycle collaboration tends to cross national boundaries, like in the case of the Quantum Leap Africa program that saw five nations team up to gather top students from across the continent and educate them about quantum.

The U.S. National Quantum Initiative, authorized by a $1.2 billion bill passed in 2018, has placed Washington at the center of this global conversation even as its re-authorization lingers in Congressional limbo. The report contains plenty of detail about the U.S. quantum push and its ripples throughout the global economy, as well as the importance of maintaining a quantum advantage to defense and national security. Where its decidedly more circumspect, however, is on exactly what those geopolitical threats are: State Department official Rick Switzer is quoted saying its critical that the United States and our allies retain access to key components in the quantum supply chain, requiring policy-makers to account for the geopolitics surrounding this access.

By geopolitics, he means China and the repercussions for quantum in what the New York Times called Americas silicon blockade against Beijing. The WEF report notes that China has spent $15 billion on quantum, more than the U.S., U.K., France and Germany combined.

The number of times China itself is referenced in the report? Exactly two, a far cry from the in-depth treatment other nations quantum strategies get. Anyone who tracks quantum development (or any other technology, for that matter) in the West knows that potential threat from Beijing is a huge political motivator for quantum policy, especially when it comes to cybersecurity. Davos plan might be a globally collaborative one, but as with so many other tech policy issues, theres a large elephant in the room thats central to its analysis while remaining oddly silent.

Also in Davos, India made its case as a democratic alternative source for electronics manufacturing to China.

The worlds fifth-largest economy for years lagged on making microchips, lacking the specialized hardware and skilled talent needed to grow the industry. Then in late 2021, the Modi government offered up $10 billion in incentives, luring companies like Micron and Tata Group to invest in new fabs. With nine semiconductor manufacturing proposals on the table, India is eager for more.

Speaking at the WEF, Chip War author Chris Miller drew parallels between India and past success stories: Taiwan, South Korea started a half century ago developing their chip industries, and today theyre the world leaders. And so I think theres no doubt that India is beginning to follow that path.

But the country wont dive into the competition around cutting-edge chips thats captured governments around the world yet choosing to first focus on legacy chips for telecommunications and cars, Indian Cabinet Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told the panel. Asked about future pressure to take sides between China and the West, Vaishnaw dodged, saying we dont think that its a battle and that circumstances are too complex and too dynamic to imagine what could happen in a decade.

Indias semiconductor moves piqued the interest of the Netherlands, a chipmaking equipment powerhouse thats all too familiar with getting caught in the U.S.-China faceoff. Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Micky Adriaansens called India a different story from China and reiterated its plan to join forces with like-minded countries. Christine Mui

A fundamental question hangs over the global debate over how to regulate artificial intelligence: open or closed?

That is, should the most powerful AI systems be widely available to any interested developer or under the tight control of just a few players? Top politicos and tech minds grappled with that topic in Davos, including at POLITICO Lives own AI debate on Tuesday.

In the U.S., Assistant Secretary of Commerce Alan Davidson said the answer may not be so binary.

Weve learned that theres a real gradient of openness, and that we may be able to find ways, we have to be able to find ways, to support innovation and competition, but also protect safety and security as we open up these systems, Davidson told the POLITICO Tech podcast.

Davidson heads the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which has been tasked by the White House with studying the open vs. closed question. He made the case that while closed systems are seemingly easier to close off to bad actors, they also concentrate power in the hands of a small number of tech companies, many of which already exert significant influence over our daily lives.

We know that its very powerful if you can democratize access to these technologies, Davidson said. Its good for innovation. It actually can be good for safety and security. Steven Overly

Listen to the full interview with Davidson on todays POLITICO Tech.

Stay in touch with the whole team: Ben Schreckinger ([emailprotected]); Derek Robertson ([emailprotected]); Mohar Chatterjee ([emailprotected]); Steve Heuser ([emailprotected]); Nate Robson ([emailprotected]); Daniella Cheslow ([emailprotected]); and Christine Mui ([emailprotected]).

If youve had this newsletter forwarded to you, you can sign up and read our mission statement at the links provided.

Link:
Davos and the global state of quantum - POLITICO

Quantum Computing: Revolution on the Horizon?

The world of computing is on the cusp of a paradigm shift. Enter quantum computers, harnessing the bizarre laws of quantum mechanics to tackle problems beyond the reach of even our most powerful classical machines. While still in their nascent stages, these marvels of engineering hold the potential to revolutionize fields from medicine and materials science to finance and artificial intelligence.

So, what exactly is a quantum computer?

Unlike your trusty laptop, which relies on bits that can be either 0 or 1, quantum computers leverage the mind-bending properties of qubits. These qubits can exist in a state of superposition, being both 0 and 1 simultaneously. This, coupled with the phenomenon of entanglement (where qubits become linked, regardless of distance), allows quantum computers to explore a vast multitude of possibilities at once. Imagine sifting through a labyrinth of possibilities, not one path at a time, but all of them concurrently that's the power of superposition and entanglement.

Current Developments:

The field of quantum computing is rapidly evolving, with constant breakthroughs pushing the boundaries of what's possible. Here are some exciting developments to keep an eye on:

Googles Sycamore:

In 2019, Googles Sycamore quantum computer achieved "quantum supremacy," performing a calculation in minutes that would take a classical computer years. This marked a significant milestone in the fields progress.Error Correction:

One of the biggest challenges in quantum computing is maintaining the delicate state of qubits. Researchers are developing sophisticated error correction techniques to ensure the accuracy of computations.

Material Advancements:

Building qubits requires manipulating matter at the atomic level. New materials like topological superconductors are being explored for their potential to host stable and scalable qubits.

Quantum Computings Potential:

The potential applications of quantum computing are vast and transformative. Here are just a few examples:

Drug Discovery:

Simulating complex molecules could lead to the design of new drugs and materials with unprecedented properties.

Financial Modeling:

Quantum algorithms could unlock new insights into financial markets, leading to more efficient and stable systems.

Artificial Intelligence: Quantum computing could boost the power of AI, enabling machines to tackle even more complex problems like natural language processing and image recognition.Cryptography: While posing a threat to current encryption methods, quantum computing can also pave the way for unbreakable forms of cryptography.

Beyond the Hype:

It's important to remember that quantum computing is still in its early stages. Building large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers remains a significant challenge. Moreover, not all problems will benefit from quantum speed-up. Identifying tasks where quantum computers offer a clear advantage will be crucial for their successful integration into various industries.

Extra Points to Ponder:

The Quantum Workforce: As quantum computing matures, new jobs and skillsets will emerge. Preparing the workforce for this quantum revolution is essential.Ethical Considerations:The immense power of quantum computing raises ethical concerns, such as the potential misuse of its capabilities in fields like cryptography and artificial intelligence. Open discussions and regulations are necessary to ensure responsible development and deployment.International Collaboration: Quantum computing is a global endeavor. Fostering international collaboration will be key to accelerating progress and ensuring equitable access to this transformative technology.

The journey into the quantum realm is just beginning. While challenges lie ahead, the potential rewards are too profound to ignore. Quantum computing has the power to reshape our world, from the way we design materials to how we understand intelligence itself. It's a revolution waiting to happen, and we're all front-row witnesses to its unfolding story.

Link:
Quantum Computing: Revolution on the Horizon? | by Shan | Jan, 2024 - Medium

Quantum computer firmQuantinuumhas been valued at $5 billion following a $300 million fundraising round.

The round, which included participation byJPMorgan, will help Quantinuum develop the worlds first universal fault-tolerant quantum computers, while also extending Quantinuums software offering to enhance commercial applicability, the Honeywell-owned company said Tuesday (Jan. 16).

Quantinuum noted in a news release that JPMorgan had worked with the company since 2020.

Financial services has been identified as one of the first industries that will benefit from quantum technologies, saidLori Beer, the banking giants chief information officer.

As such, we have been investing in quantum research and our team of experts led by Dr. Marco Pistoia have made groundbreaking discoveries, partnering with quantum computing leaders like Quantinuum.

As covered here last year, quantum computing is driven by qubits (quantum bits) that break information down across fundamentally different planes and allow quantum processors to take on complex problems in fundamentally different and more advanced ways by putting the quantum information into a state of superposition.

This new approach to presenting and solving complex problems via quantum superpositions will leave a lot of legacy processes in the proverbial dust and create a mix of both opportunity and risk for security-critical operations in sectors like healthcare and finance, PYMNTS wrote.

The reason?Quantum computersare projected to gain the ability to solve all of the mathematical encryption schemes now being used around the world to safeguard sensitive information and valuable data.

Michael Jabbara, global head of fraud services at Visa, told PYMNTS last year that bad actors had begunstealing encrypted datain anticipation of quantum computing tools entering the market and allowing them to decrypt the information.

Observers believe that creating one-way function encryption schemes that are impossible for tomorrows quantum computers to crack may not ever be a possibility, that report said.

But the news isnt all bad, as quantum computing may also unlock an array of new opportunities, especially in the financial and payments sectors.

Quantum computing can run complex simulations at unprecedented speeds, leading to better-informed investment and business decisions, and its ability to process huge amounts of data instantaneously will make it invaluable in areas like risk analysis and credit underwriting, PYMNTS wrote.

Read the original post:
Quantum Computing Firm Quantinuum Valued at $5 Billion - PYMNTS.com