Designing for trust in the quantum age

The future of quantum technologies will depend not only on scientific breakthroughs, but on whether nations, sectors and communities are given a meaningful voice in shaping them.

Investment in quantum technologies has reached unprecedented levels, driven by the prospect of scientific breakthroughs and transformative applications across industry and society. Yet amid the excitement, a fundamental question deserves greater attention. How do we ensure that the quantum revolution does not deepen existing inequalities but instead creates opportunities that are widely shared? We are still at an early stage of this transformation. That gives us a rare opportunity to embed inclusion, responsibility and international cooperation into the quantum ecosystem before it's too late.

For many, quantum is synonymous with quantum computing. Quantum computers promise to tackle certain problems that would be impossible for even the most powerful classical computers to solve. Yet quantum is far more than a single technology or prospective product. It is a complex and interconnected landscape encompassing computing, simulation, sensing, imaging, communications, cryptography, timing, navigation and more. Each field is progressing at a different pace, with distinct technical challenges, commercial prospects and potential societal applications. If we reduce the conversation to quantum computing alone, we miss much of what is already happening across a rich and evolving ecosystem.

Quantum technologies also operate on principles that differ fundamentally from those of classical computing. Where conventional computers process information using bits represented a zero or one, quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits, which can exist in combinations of states through superposition. Through carefully controlled operations and interference, quantum algorithms can amplify useful outcomes and suppress others. This does not mean that a quantum computer simply tries every possible answer simultaneously. Nor that it will outperform classical computers on every task. Its potential lies in solving particular problems in ways that may offer significant advantages.

What excites me most is not the technology itself, but the growing evidence that these developments are beginning to move beyond the laboratory and into domains that directly affect peoples lives. In healthcare, for example, highly sensitive quantum sensors may enable the detection of subtle biological signals and support new approaches to medical imaging and diagnostics. Similarly, in environmental monitoring, quantum sensing could improve the measurement of physical phenomena such as magnetic fields, gravity and atmospheric conditions, potentially strengthening our ability to observe environmental change. Quantum technologies may also contribute to more precise navigation, resilient communications and advances in scientific simulation. This forces us to think differently about privacy, security and resilience in an increasingly interconnected world.

Yet as exciting as these developments are, I am increasingly convinced that the most important questions surrounding quantum are not technical ones. As the ecosystem develops, its effects may extend across a wide range of sectors including healthcare, finance, agriculture, transport, energy, communications, environmental protection and public services. The more consequential questions are therefore not simply around what quantum will make possible, but whose need it will address, who will have access to its benefits and who will have a voice in determining its direction. Governments worldwide, alongside private investors, are investing heavily in quantum technologies. Much of this investment supports quantum computing, but it also extends to enabling infrastructure, hardware, research and the development of wider ecosystems. These are resource intensive undertakings and the costs of participation are not distributed equally. This disparity presents a significant challenge. If only a limited number of countries can afford to develop quantum infrastructure, attract specialist talent and participate meaningfully in emerging markets, the quantum era could reproduce or exacerbate existing technological divides. Yet many of the challenges that quantum technologies may help address, such as climate change and public health or food security and disaster preparedness, transcend national borders. The knowledge, capabilities and governance frameworks required to address them must therefore be developed through international collaboration.

The question of inclusion is also inseparable from skills in education. A future quantum workforce will require more than a narrow pool of highly specialized researchers. It will depend on interdisciplinary expertise spanning engineering, computing, material science, cybersecurity, ethics, policy, business and other fields. Building this capacity means expanding access to education and training, supporting emerging talent and enabling countries with different levels of technological readiness to contribute to the ecosystem.

The significance of quantum extends beyond individual applications. Technologies that underpin timing, navigation, sensing and communications may have implications for critical infrastructure and interconnected global systems. Precision timing, for example, supports financial transactions and communications networks. Advances in navigation and Earth observation could influence transport, environmental monitoring, and public safety. As these capabilities develop, their effects may cross borders and sectors in ways that are difficult to fully anticipate. This is why the societal implications of quantum technologies demand early consideration. Questions of responsible use, security, sustainability, energy consumption, resilience and equitable access cannot be deferr

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