U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced the Quantum Sandbox for Near-Term Applications Act to establish a public-private partnership for near-term quantum application development and acceleration.

“As we know in Tennessee, quantum applications have great potential to be a powerful source of technological innovation,” said Senator Blackburn. “While Communist China has publicly acknowledged their goal to lead the world in quantum communications by 2049, it’s critical the United States provide an environment for entrepreneurs and companies to promote competition and continued innovation. This bipartisan legislation will create a public-private partnership to accelerate the development of near-term quantum applications."

“As national leaders in quantum computing research, New Mexico’s national labs help position our country on the forefront of science and technology,” said Senator Luján. “I’ve been clear that as these innovative, emerging technologies continue to develop, it’s critical there are pathways into the commercial sector to grow our economy. I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with Senator Blackburn that will do just that by helping further quantum computing research and allow our country to reap the benefits of this game changing technology."

“In the effort to keep the U.S. at the forefront in the development of quantum technology, many companies and researchers are making tremendous individual progress, but our overall efforts are hampered while these breakthroughs remain disconnected,” said David Wade, President and CEO of EPB. “We launched EPB QuantumNetwork as a platform for collaboration among our foremost quantum technologists, and we believe that Senator Blackburn’s amendment to the National Quantum Initiative Act is exactly what America needs to further accelerate our progress in commercializing quantum technologies. We also strongly support this amendment because it encourages the type of collaboration that addresses the gap in workforce preparation for the emerging quantum industry by providing for educational outreach through K-12 schools, community colleges and universities.”

“ADI’s mission is to accelerate government adoption of innovative commercial technologies,” said Ross Nodurft, Executive Director for Alliance for Digital Innovation (ADI). “Cloud access of quantum computing technologies allows for the government to tap into this powerful emerging technology and a Quantum Sandbox program which promotes quantum and quantum-hybrid application development to solve public sector problems will fast-track the implementation of this important technology.”  

“D-Wave supports the Quantum Sandbox legislation’s call for a near-term application development program that would accelerate the adoption of quantum technologies to solve real-world private and public-sector issues,” said Dr. Alan Baratz, CEO of D-Wave. “Our company is already using the power of quantum computing to provide solutions to challenging optimization problems such as global supply chain management, employee scheduling, and waste reduction. The Quantum Sandbox Program would expand the government’s focus to supporting today’s quantum computing applications—a much-needed change in policy.”

“The whole U.S. quantum ecosystem will benefit from the Quantum Sandbox for Near-Term Applications Act of 2023. It is imperative that the U.S. Government push funding toward quantum technology applications in quantum communications and quantum networking to the benefit of our national security posture and promote quantum information science commercialization. The quantum network at EPB in Chattanooga TN is a perfect sandbox, shovel ready, for quantum innovation. The Act will promote U.S. quantum industry innovation which will be crucial to move quantum technologies toward commercial applications allowing the US to stay competitive on a global scale in the quantum age,” said Duncan Earl, President and Chief Technology Officer of Qubitekk.

"The Quantum Sandbox legislation marks a pivotal moment for the growth and development of quantum computing in the United States. As CEO and co-founder of SavantX, an applied quantum company, I wholeheartedly endorse this initiative," said Ed Heinbockel, President and CEO of SavantX. "By providing increased access and support to quantum technologies, we are unlocking a wealth of potential for solving some of the world's most pressing challenges. Quantum computing holds great promise in accelerating AI, which is critical for the United States to maintain and grow its current lead over Russia and China. Quantum AI has the potential to be a game changer in the global technological landscape. At SavantX, we are dedicated to harnessing quantum innovations to transform industries and make a significant impact. We are thrilled to stand with other leaders in this field to champion the Quantum Sandbox legislation."

"As advocates of technological advancement, we proudly endorse the Quantum Sandbox Act, recognizing that increasing access to quantum computing technologies will expedite the development of practical, near term applications,” said whurley, Founder and CEO of Strangeworks. “Through continuous investment and innovation, quantum technology is positioned to revolutionize society, offering the potential to cure diseases, mitigate climate change, enhance artificial intelligence, and more. This initiative has the power to transform our future, and we are excited to support it.”

“The Quantum Sandbox legislation is a step in the right direction and we’re pleased to see this introduced,” said Christopher Savoie, CEO and Co-founder of Zapata Computing. “We are already seeing the benefits that can come from quantum-inspired techniques to address complex business problems and, as a leading developer of Quantum AI software for enterprises, we believe that this will encourage the U.S. government and enterprises to prioritize the development of quantum computing technologies.”

BACKGROUND:

• Quantum and quantum-hybrid applications have the ability to provide innovative solutions for near-term use cases across a variety of challenges, including transportation optimization and weather preparation.
• Business and consumers of the United States will be able to see benefits of the innovation through a program focusing on near-term use of the technology.
• Robust leadership in quantum research and near-term development will have a great impact on the security of the United States.

Click here for bill text. 

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