A breakthrough boosts quantum on the Hill – POLITICO

A German-manufactured quantum computing chip. | Thomas Kienzle/AFP via Getty Images

Researchers made a potentially major breakthrough in quantum computing last week, nudging the technology ever-so-gradually toward the concrete from the conceptual.

A team of scientists announced a major advancement in the development of error correction, the process of fighting the subatomic deterioration that makes most quantum computers today unhelpful for more than research purposes. The commercial quantum company QuEra Computing said it achieved a significant leap, in cooperation with Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a joint program between the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the University of Maryland.

The wider quantum community met the results with cautious excitement: Assuming the result stands, I think its plausibly the top experimental quantum computing advance of 2023, Scott Aaronson, a computer scientist and director of the University of Texas at Austins Quantum Information Center, wrote on his blog.

The researchers technical achievement is very, very wonky, so Ill leave it to their manuscript in Nature (or Aaronsons helpful blog entry) to explain further details to the interested reader. Suffice to say, it seems to be a big deal and one that comes just as Congress weighs the reauthorization of the National Quantum Initiative Act, which partially funded this very experiment and is currently up for its first five-year extension since former President Donald Trump signed the original bill into law in 2018.

As we noted amid last weeks big push from IBM, this is exactly the kind of news researchers love to show Washington as proof of concept for continued funding and support.

For that legislation to pass, the goal is for it to be as uncontroversial and as proven as possible, and a recent breakthrough certainly provides a useful talking point, said Adam Kovacevich, founder and CEO of the Chamber of Progress, a center-left tech industry coalition. But that doesnt mean its a lock for future funding. At the end of November the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology passed the bill, but the House of Representatives did not attach it to the National Defense Authorization Act just passed this afternoon. (The next opportunity to tack quantum to a major spending bill will come next month, when Congress must approve the federal appropriations bill it partially punted on in November.)

Partisan rancor could threaten the otherwise good vibes surrounding quantum and other tech innovations in Washington not to mention another oxygen-thirsty topic you might have heard of called artificial intelligence.

Garnering attention for quantum in the current tech policy landscape dominated by AI remains an uphill battle, and navigating this environment to secure sufficient recognition and resources for quantum is proving a difficult task, Hodan Omaar, a senior policy analyst at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a tech-friendly think tank, told me. Omaar wrote a report in October on the past, present and future of American quantum policy and told POLITICO the NQIA will not be assured until it crosses the Resolute Desk.

Still, she added, These sorts of breakthroughs dont hurt.

The European Union might need to shore up its regulatory and intellectual firepower if its going to enforce the forthcoming AI Act.

POLITICOs Mark Scott makes that argument in todays edition of the Digital Bridge newsletter, writing that the EUs strategy, which lacks details about funding and enforcement, is based on a false promise that theres enough technical skill, financial resources and regulatory capacity to both keep track of existing models and keep ahead of what is to come.

If recent history has taught us anything, that is wishful thinking, Mark writes, citing continuing issues with enforcing Europes General Data Protection Regulation. I want budget numbers. I want figures on new regulatory hires. I want an explanation of how these agencies will push back against companies transparency reports that may, or may not, be accurate.

A new AI Office at the European Commission will be responsible for setting these terms, but as Mark also points out, no budget has yet been set for it.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission approved a plan Wednesday for crypto asset exchange Bitnomial to expand in a manner that remarkably resembles the ambitions of former crypto hub FTX.

POLITICOs Zach Warmbrodt reported on the developments in todays Morning Money newsletter, writing that the move is raising alarm bells at the CFTC, including from Christy Goldsmith Romero, the lone commissioner to oppose the move.

We should learn the lesson from our consideration of FTXs application that also sought to change the traditional market structure, Romero told Zach, arguing that the CFTC should make sure it thoroughly vets Bitnomial for the kind of risk that toppled FTX.

CFTC Chair Rostin Behnam said the agency would take a closer look at policy concerns next year, but that it was legally obligated to act on Bitnomials application now. Zach points out that the move is a striking contrast with the leader of the CFTCs sister agency, SEC Chair Gary Gensler, whose efforts to police the digital asset industry have triggered lawsuits and enshrined him as Washingtons chief crypto antagonist.

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

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A breakthrough boosts quantum on the Hill - POLITICO