America is investing $1 billion alongside companies like IBM, Microsoft, and Intel to establish five new quantum tech institutes headed by national laboratories.
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When the U.S. funded an experimental computer-networking project called Arpanet in 1969, it kicked off a technological revolution that would culminate in today’s Internet.
Now the U.S. is seeking to do the same for a “quantum Internet,” a vaguely defined complement to that marvel of info-engineering we know and love.
A quantum Internet would be based on a network of quantum computers, a buzzy class of calculating machines that offers advantages over classical computers, like the one you’re reading this article on. The technology could provide greater security, computing performance, economic output, and, of course, heaps of national pride.
Toward that end, the White House announced Wednesday that it is pouring $625 million into five new quantum research centers across the U.S. The institutes, which include participation from major research universities and tech companies, will be led by Department of Energy’s Argonne, Brookhaven, Fermi, Lawrence Berkeley, and Oak Ridge national laboratories.
The investment is part of $1.2 billion earmarked by the National Quantum Initiative, a bipartisan bill that was signed into law last year. The remaining funds, worth $300 million, are set to be supplied by partnering corporations such as IBM, Microsoft, Intel, and others.
The U.S. aims to keep ahead of the global competition to lead development of a hot emerging technology. Other parts of the world, such as Europe and especially China, have pushed ahead with scientific advances and billion-dollar research investments of their own.
U.S. officials believe the country’s economic and national security is at stake. “It’s absolutely imperative the United States continues to lead the world in A.I. and quantum,” said Michael Kratsios, the U.S. chief technology officer, during a press briefing call with reporters. “We know our adversaries around the world are pursuing their own advances.”
Earlier this year, Chinese scientists reported a breakthrough in transmitting so-called quantum messages across thousands of miles using a special satellite called Micius, named after an ancient Chinese philosopher. The experiment represents early progress toward the possible development of an ultra-secure communications network beamed from space.
While the competition with China heats up, private industry partners used the opportunity of the announcement to highlight the collaborative aspects of the new program. Dario Gil, director of IBM Research, said the cross-industry and government collaboration was “bringing together the best.” It “will be a team sport,” said James Clarke, Intel’s director of quantum hardware.
Time will tell who takes the lead.
Robert Hackett
Twitter: @rhhackett
