A breakthrough boosts quantum on the Hill

How the next wave of technology is upending the global economy and its power structures

Dec 14, 2023 View in browser   By Derek Robertson A German-manufactured quantum computing chip. | 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 it’s plausibly the top experimental quantum computing advance of 2023,” Scott Aaronson, a computer scientist and director of the University of Texas at Austin’s Quantum Information Center, wrote on his blog. The researchers’ technical achievement is very, very wonky, so I’ll leave it to their manuscript in Nature (or Aaronson’s 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 week’s 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 doesn’t mean it’s 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 don't hurt.”   Enter the “room where it happens”, where global power players shape policy and politics, with Power Play. POLITICO’s brand-new podcast will host conversations with the leaders and power players shaping the biggest ideas and driving the global conversations, moderated by award-winning journalist Anne McElvoy. Sign up today to be notified of new episodes – click here.     ai act pessimism The European Union might need to shore up its regulatory and intellectual firepower if it’s going to enforce the forthcoming AI Act. POLITICO’s Mark Scott makes that argument in today’s edition of the Digital Bridge newsletter, writing that the EU’s strategy, which lacks details about funding and enforcement, is based on a “false promise” that “there’s 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 Europe’s 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 cftc signs off 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. POLITICO’s Zach Warmbrodt reported on the developments in today’s 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 FTX’s 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 Bitnomial’s application now. Zach points out that the move is “a striking contrast with the leader of the CFTC’s sister agency, SEC Chair Gary Gensler, whose efforts to police the digital asset industry have triggered lawsuits and enshrined him as Washington’s chief crypto antagonist.” Tweet of the Day THE FUTURE IN 5 LINKS Research shows that AI isn’t necessarily supercharging cheating in schools. Open-source chips are gaining popularity in Silicon Valley amid AI competition. Whether AI is good, evil, or something in between, it’s already nearly pervasive. Why is carbon removal such a controversial strategy for fighting climate change? Elon Musk wants to open his own university in Austin, Texas. Stay in touch with the whole team: Ben Schreckinger (bschreckinger@politico.com); Derek Robertson (drobertson@politico.com); Mohar Chatterjee (mchatterjee@politico.com); Steve Heuser (sheuser@politico.com); Nate Robson (nrobson@politico.com) and Daniella Cheslow (dcheslow@politico.com). If you’ve had this newsletter forwarded to you, you can sign up and read our mission statement at the links provided.   SUBSCRIBE TO CALIFORNIA CLIMATE: Climate change isn’t just about the weather. It's also about how we do business and create new policies, especially in California. So we have something cool for you: A brand-new California Climate newsletter. It's not just climate or science chat, it's your daily cheat sheet to understanding how the legislative landscape around climate change is shaking up industries across the Golden State. Subscribe now to California Climate to keep up with the changes.       Follow us on Twitter Ben Schreckinger @SchreckReports Derek Robertson @afternoondelete Steve Heuser @sfheuser   Follow us

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