Administration Tells US Techies It Expects American Quantum Computer by 2028
Arthur T Knackerbracket writes:
President Trump has ordered the development of a quantum computer to ensure that the US maintains a strategic technical advantage, along with a nationwide migration to post-quantum cryptography to protect sensitive data against just such a computer.
In an executive order signed Monday, Trump directed various federal agencies to establish a national program to deliver a quantum computer, aimed at driving scientific discoveries and keeping the US at the forefront of technology.
To be precise, it calls for "the first ever quantum computer powerful enough to initiate the era of quantum-enabled scientific discovery and accelerate quantum capabilities for commercial applications."
Trump's order directs the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (APST), Michael Kratsios, to coordinate the effort across the Departments of Energy, Defense, Commerce, and the Intelligence Community, as well as with the broader industry and research communities.
The program is to be given the somewhat clumsy moniker of Quantum Computer for Application Development and Discovery Science (QC-ADDS), and the intent is to deliver at least one such computer to a Department of Energy (DoE) facility and make it available to the scientific community.
Kratsios told reporters that the administration believes that this goal can be achieved by 2028, so that at least one full-blown quantum system will be operating by the time Trump leaves office.
This is a bold claim, as quantum computers are one of those technologies where a big breakthrough has been promised to be just around the corner for decades, yet never seems to arrive.
[...] The executive order makes no mention of a budget or how much the Trump administration believes development of its quantum Holy Grail will cost. However, our colleagues over at The Next Platform reported last month that it intends to dole out more than $2 billion to various companies for quantum research, plus $1.375 billion to GlobalFoundries and IBM to develop quantum foundries.
In anticipation that truly useful quantum kit could soon become reality, Trump also orders federal agencies to lead a nationwide migration to post-quantum cryptography (PQC).
The agencies in question are chiefly the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, which are to deliver guidance to other agencies on making the move to quantum-resistant encryption.
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