Momentum is building around the development of a more coordinated national quantum strategy. Efforts in Congress to reauthorize the National Quantum Initiative, alongside plans for a White House whole-of-government approach to coordinate federal investments, infrastructure, and commercialization, signal a new phase for the U.S. quantum ecosystem. Federal R&D priorities increasingly highlight the convergence between quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, and advanced semiconductor design. Sustaining leadership will depend not only on research breakthroughs, but on the strength of the broader innovation ecosystem, including semiconductor capabilities, testbeds, advanced computing infrastructure, and regional innovation hubs.

Quantum computing is moving beyond research laboratories and into early industrial deployment. Across sectors such as life sciences, energy, finance, logistics, and advanced manufacturing, businesses are exploring how quantum capabilities could solve complex optimization, modelling, and simulation challenges. New delivery models are emerging: hybrid quantum–classical approaches enable near-term experimentation, while cloud platforms and Quantum Computing as a Service (QCaaS) are making quantum capabilities accessible without specialized infrastructure. The growing convergence of quantum computing, AI, high-performance computing, and advanced semiconductors may further accelerate the path to real-world applications.

This session will explore how businesses are beginning to apply quantum technologies, where the most promising industrial opportunities lie, how new business models, partnerships and the development of a talent pipeline could shape a quantum-enabled future.

• Which sectors are seeing the most promising real-world quantum applications, and where might quantum computing deliver practical advantage first?
• What role will hybrid quantum–classical computing and QCaaS platforms play in enabling near-term industrial adoption?
• How can synergies between quantum computing, AI, high-performance computing, and cloud technologies accelerate innovation and unlock new industrial applications?
• What partnerships, ecosystem collaborations, and workforce investments will be needed to scale quantum applications and support viable business models?

As quantum computing evolves, it promises breakthroughs across science and industry but also poses significant risks to existing cybersecurity infrastructure. The potential emergence of cryptographically relevant quantum computers could render widely used encryption obsolete, exposing sensitive data to “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks. In the United States, NIST’s standardization of post-quantum cryptographic algorithms and the Coordinated Implementation Roadmap for the Transition to Post-Quantum Cryptography mark an important shift from awareness to action. At the same time, technologies such as Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), and Quantum Random Number Generation (QRNG) offer new tools to strengthen cyber resilience — though integrating them at scale remains a major challenge.

This panel will explore the dual role of quantum technologies as both a cybersecurity risk and a defensive tool. It will examine how policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers are preparing for a post-quantum world, what concrete steps organizations can take today to enhance cryptographic agility, and how the U.S. can strengthen its leadership in global standards and secure digital infrastructure for the quantum age.

• What are the immediate and long-term implications of quantum computing for cybersecurity, and how are governments and industry preparing for the emergence of cryptographically relevant quantum computers?
• How is the transition to post-quantum cryptography progressing in the U.S., and what practical steps can organizations take today to improve cryptographic agility?
• What roles will PQC, QKD, and QRNG play in securing future digital infrastructure, and how can telecommunications providers and infrastructure operators support quantum-safe communications?
• How can the United States work with international partners to shape global standards for post-quantum cryptography while maintaining technological leadership?