Quantum: No longer 20 years away? featured image

Quantum: No longer 20 years away?


By Tomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary-General, ITU

Quantum mechanics dates back to 1925, and the idea of quantum computing spans almost half that period. The first experimental demonstration of a quantum algorithm happened 30 years ago.

But still today, these technologies used to scour vast databases and factor massive numbers are considered “new and emerging.” Because we have barely scratched the surface of what they can do.

The untapped potential in this field is central as we prepare for 2025 as the International Year of Quantum.

Because these technologies can help fix the world’s biggest problems, from connectivity gaps to poverty and inequality to the climate crisis.

What quantum can do

Quantum information tech – far more powerful than classical information technologies – will enable breakthroughs we cannot yet imagine in medicine, climate action and more. Notably, it promises to supercharge artificial intelligence (AI).

From the perspective of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as the United Nations agency for digital technologies, this makes quantum information tech a potential supercharger of sustainable development.

However, this massive potential does not come without risks. Today’s cybersecurity, for instance, will be no match for quantum cyberattacks.

More troublingly, however, quantum development brings the prospect of widening digital divides. Only a handful of countries are currently investing in quantum research and development. The world’s leading digital markets are poised to leap further ahead, and that could mean leaving others even further behind.

I urge leaders in the field to share and compare their expertise to help promptly close this emerging quantum divide.

What we need to do

Together, as the international technology community, we must help countries grow their expertise, build a quantum-ready workforce, create opportunities (including for women and girls), equip youth for further quantum development, and foster quantum research locally.

This means encouraging knowledge transfer on quantum information tech, reviewing and enhancing national and regional cybersecurity strategies for quantum-readiness, following “early” use cases, and solving deployment challenges for the quantum era.

In parallel, we must step up standards development. Naturally, this includes promoting existing standards that can accelerate global uptake and help shape quantum for good.

Of course, leveraging quantum depends on several prerequisites, starting with connectivity for the estimated 2.6 billion people who currently remain offline, many of them in the world’s least developed countries.

Fibre infrastructure, including fibre-to-the-home networks, will be a key foundation for quantum-enabled communications.

In one promising example, digital infrastructure company Eurofiber is trialling quantum Internet capacity in partnership with Dutch research institute QuTech, with the aim of demonstrating secure quantum communication via Eurofiber’s existing fibre-optic network.

Many more such investments will be needed to create truly quantum-ready communications networks.

The power of quantum to boost AI pattern recognition and machine learning must be at the forefront, with an unwavering emphasis on harnessing all these breakthroughs for the good of humanity and our planet.

Quantum for Good is sure to become a key part of our AI for Good platform, which highlights innovative AI solutions to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Quantum standardization

Collaboratively developed international standards can help everyone prepare for the quantum future and realize massive benefits.

ITU standards are addressing network and security aspects of quantum information technologies with an initial focus on Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) for quantum-safe encryption and authentication. This work has involved over 300 experts from 180 organizations and 43 countries.

Those standards are crucial for secure integration of QKD technology into large-scale tech networks, providing guidance in areas such as network architecture, key management, protocols, security, quality assurance, and machine learning in QKD networks.

The World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA-24) that concluded in New Delhi, India, on 24 October has tasked our expert study groups with further developing QKD and exploring so-called post-quantum cryptography (PQC), and counteracting the growing threat landscape fuelled by generative AI. (Read the WTSA-24 Proceedings.)

One of our highest priorities is promoting and enabling effective collaboration among expert communities.

Our quantum focus group, active from 2019 to 2021, offered an open platform to define the right way forward for coordinated, comprehensive standards work. This is now the responsibility of our Joint Coordination Activity on Quantum Key Distribution Networks.

Currently, we are creating a database to capture quantum standards from around the globe.

Practical use cases

Quantum is poised to revolutionize many industries, solving complex problems that until now seemed unfathomable. 

Imagine the possibilities for drug discovery, disease risk prediction, and biological research in high-impact areas like protein folding, as well as in weather forecasting and climate modelling.

Quantum can advance molecular chemistry and material design; optimize industrial processes and supply chains; and manage complex financial portfolios, smart cities, and sustainable energy grids. All these advantages hinge on ramping up AI and machine learning like never before.

Importantly, quantum itself will enhance cryptography and data securityto keep ahead of growing cyberthreats. Dutch partners Eurofiber and QuTech are working with US-based Juniper Networks on innovative encryption, aiming to protect against cybercrime and keep vital information secure as quantum computing emerges on both sides of the law.

As we enter the next age of global communications, quantum can help the space industry with coordinating growing numbers of Low and Medium Earth Orbit (LEO and MEO) satellites.

Quantum reality getting closer

Experts who muse that “quantum always seems 20 years away” have started feeling different about it.

The advantages are clear. The risks are also real. But together, we can do so much good with quantum information technologies.

With 2025 as our symbolic rallying point, we are building partnerships between governments, the private sector, academia, and civil society to push worthy quantum initiatives forward.

Let’s work together to make quantum a force for good.

Based on remarks by Tomas Lamanauskas at a Quantum for Good discussion hosted by the United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC) and Quantum Delta NL, in The Hague, The Netherlands, on 20 November 2024.

Header image credit: Adobe Stock

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