Trump signs orders for powerful quantum computer
US President Donald Trump has ordered the construction of a powerful quantum computer for scientific research and stepped up efforts to protect government systems from related cyber threats; This has strengthened U.S. efforts in the race with China for a technology that could disrupt science and cybersecurity.
“We believe this could happen by 2028,” Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, said on a call previewing the moves and mentioning quantum computing.
Trump signed two executive orders on Monday; One aims to protect government computers from quantum computer-enabled cyberattacks by setting a goal of transitioning key government computing systems to post-quantum cryptography by 2030 or 2031.
Quantum computers use the laws of quantum physics to process information in a way that can solve some complex problems much faster than even today’s supercomputers.
They could crack the encryption that protects computers from hacking, raising fears of aggressive cyberattacks.
The orders underscore the Trump administration’s emphasis on securing U.S. leadership in the quantum race against China — which could accelerate advances in artificial intelligence, materials science and chemistry — while also protecting against cybersecurity threats posed by technology.
The order also calls for the Pentagon to deploy quantum sensors by 2028.
Such sensors could help aircraft navigate war zones where global positioning systems have been disrupted, and could also be used to detect underground activity from space, such as the construction of tunnels or missile silos, when satellites are deployed.
“There are a lot of interesting things that quantum sensing could bring before quantum computing,” said Infleqtion CEO Matthew Kinsella, who attended the signing ceremony in the Oval Office.
“It is possible to meet such timelines.”
Last month, the Commerce Department announced it would buy US$2 billion ($A2.9 billion) of equity stakes in nine quantum computing companies, including a new IBM venture.
One of the orders also aims to strengthen international cooperation on intellectual property protections and supply chain security measures “in light of competitors and adversaries seeking to undermine the economic and national security of the United States,” Kratsios said.
Another measure included in the package instructs institutions to develop plans for the deployment of quantum-enabled sensors and networks within the next five years.
