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Dr. Basma Al-Buhairan

May 15, 2025 20:12

The UN has designated 2025 the International Year of Quantum to honor the 100th anniversary of quantum mechanics. Yet, as we look back on a century of quantum, we must also look ahead and prepare for the unprecedented economic, social and policy transformations that the accelerating advance of quantum technologies will surely bring.

The question is no longer “if” or “when,” but “how” nations, industries and societies must ready themselves for this quantum future.

In ����ֱ��, steps have been taken to harness the opportunities of quantum technologies — yet continued, coordinated efforts are needed to ensure the transformation is sustainable, responsible and equitable.

Quantum technology is already changing how we work, from expediting medical breakthroughs to enhancing cybersecurity. According to some predictions, it could potentially generate up to $1.3 trillion in economic value by 2035.

However, significant challenges remain, including security risks, high barriers to entry and regulatory uncertainty as governments navigate this complex, emerging field.

The quantum race has already begun. In the private sector, tech companies such as Nvidia, Google and Microsoft are developing commercial solutions, while countries around the world are implementing national strategies.

The US has advanced with its National Quantum Initiative, committing more than $4.1 billion to research and innovation. China, with an estimated $15 billion in public funding, is prioritizing quantum communication and encryption, exemplified by its QUESS satellite. The EU’s $1.08 billion Quantum Flagship aims to build a secure quantum network across Europe, and the UK, with $4.2 billion in investments, is developing its own quantum ecosystem through dedicated research hubs.

Simply put, nations that act now will lead tomorrow. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for ����ֱ�� as it drives forward Vision 2030, which prioritizes technological innovation and strategic geopolitical leadership. Within the private sector, companies including Saudi Aramco and Pasqal are collaborating to deploy the country’s first quantum computer.

However, the wide-ranging potential of quantum technology demands cross-sector coordination between public and private actors, supported by effective awareness campaigns.

The Kingdom has taken major steps to accelerate its quantum ambitions, becoming the first nation to pilot the World Economic Forum’s Quantum Economy Blueprint.

At ����ֱ��’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR ����ֱ��), an affiliate of the World Economic Forum, we are helping guide this preparation through a forthcoming comprehensive national quantum roadmap. This roadmap identifies investment, education, research and development, and strategy as four key factors in quantum readiness. It is a core component of our Quantum Economy Project and is supported by our Quantum Economy Landscape in ����ֱ�� report.

With quantum transformation no longer a distant prospect but a present-day priority, clear strategies are more important than ever.

Dr. Basma Al-Buhairan

Significant investments are already underway from the Kingdom’s industrial powerhouses, such as NEOM’s Quantum Nexus. Yet a sustainable and equitable quantum economy must also empower small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurs.

C4IR ����ֱ�� and the World Economic Forum recently launched the Quantum for Society Challenge via the UpLink platform, seeking scalable quantum solutions in climate, healthcare, agriculture and manufacturing. The top innovators were announced in April, showcasing the range of quantum-enabled opportunities already being realized — and hinting at many more to come.

Yet quantum preparedness is not only about advancing technology — it’s about people, too. Future-ready education must build the highly specialized skills a quantum workforce requires, elevating interdisciplinary talent to drive both innovation and commercialization.

Seven Saudi universities have already established advanced quantum programs, and institutions such as the National Information Technology Academy, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology and the Saudi Federation for Cyber Security and Programming, through TUWAIQ Academy, are nurturing a skilled workforce through internships, specialized training and skill transition programs.

But to fully realize the Kingdom’s ambitions and build a globally competitive quantum workforce, deeper collaboration among universities, industry leaders, research institutions and government bodies will be essential.

����ֱ��’s momentum in research and development is also accelerating. Quantum-related publications from Saudi institutions increased from just 20 in 2010 to more than 180 by 2024, and key stakeholders — including the Research, Development and Innovation Authority, STC Group and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals’ Intelligent Secure Systems Center — are advancing projects in superconducting quantum circuits, quantum emulation and quantum communication.

Meanwhile, King Saud University has established its Center of Excellence in Information Assurance, focusing on information security and post-quantum cryptography — both critical to securing the future of digital communications.

Even as investments and R&D grow, more must be done to improve public understanding of quantum science and technology (even Einstein once described quantum phenomena as “spooky action at a distance”). C4IR ����ֱ�� has been actively supporting this effort, recently hosting the Kingdom’s World Quantum Day celebrations and bringing together leaders from government, academia and industry — as well as the general public — to explore how quantum can and will shape our shared future.

With quantum transformation no longer a distant prospect but a present-day priority, clear strategies are more important than ever. Supported by the efforts of C4IR ����ֱ�� and others, the Kingdom has laid a strong foundation for a quantum-powered future — investing in talent, forging strategic partnerships and establishing a clear national direction to ensure the transformation is inclusive, secure and impactful.

Equally important is the creation of a governance consortium that unites government, academia and industry to ensure quantum technologies are developed responsibly, equitably and with long-term resilience in mind.

Looking forward, staying ahead means working together. C4IR ����ֱ�� is proud to be playing a role through our quantum roadmap, but this is a space in which everyone can participate — whether by investing, strategizing, exploring or learning — to ensure our quantum future benefits all.

• Dr. Basma Al-Buhairan leads ����ֱ��’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, driving national strategies in AI, emerging tech, and digital transformation.