Quantum physics is one of the most fascinating fields there is and one that makes you want to live long enough to observe all the progress that should result from it. Certainly, the term “quantum” often evokes a new El Dorado carefully marketed by research centers and start-ups seeking funding, carrying promises worthy of the gold rush. The danger with quantum economics is that the term is sufficiently abstruse for it to mean anything and everything.
It must be recognized that the laws of quantum physics, which govern the relationships between particles on a subatomic scale – that of electrons, photons, neutrons, etc. – are difficult to understand for humans who live on the scale of the Newtonian physics, where an object moves the faster the more energy it is propelled, and where a body remains at rest as long as nothing acts on it.
Conversely, the physical principles which structure the quantum scale are counter-intuitive for our minds: superposition – a particle can exist in several states simultaneously -, entanglement – the behaviors of two particles are linked, independently of the distance which separates them -, or Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle – it is impossible to know precisely the position and movement of a particle – require a great capacity for abstraction. And yet, we are talking about a technological revolution capable of changing our economy like never before, especially as it hybridizes with artificial intelligence and robotics.
Broad-spectrum technology
The most publicized application of quantum physics concerns computing. Quantum computing no longer uses 0s and 1s as its traditional side, but the principle of superposition which means that a 0 can be at the same time a 1. This results in an extraordinary acceleration in the computing capacity of computers, which makes it possible to ward off the slowdown of Moore’s law: the power of microprocessors has for a long time doubled every eighteen months at constant cost, but this is no longer true today. The issue therefore becomes critical to continue to advance the performance of artificial intelligence and the number of its uses.
Without quantum computing, AI risks encountering a concrete barrier. The computing capabilities of quantum computing should also make it possible to crack any encryption key. But the applications of quantum are not limited to computing. In particular, it should enable the development of perfectly insulating materials, ultra-precise sensors and new drug molecules. As with any broad-spectrum technology, the field of applications is unlimited.
France is not completely left behind
The economic challenges are colossal because progress in this area is cumulative. The country that is the first to mass produce quantum computers will master a technology that it can put to the service of its defense, space and energy sectors. This is why IBM, Google and Microsoft are spending billions of dollars to race to the top, just like they do for AI. France is not completely left out. In January 2021, the government launched a national plan for quantum technologies, with a budget of 1.8 billion euros over five years. It’s not huge, but not ridiculous either, compared to the commitments of other nations.
Our country is home to cutting-edge research centers on this subject such as the Atomic Energy Commission, and several start-ups such as Pasqal, Alice & Bob and Quellela. Pasqal, particularly promising, raised 100 million euros at the start of the year. France has a shot to play but must meet three conditions to succeed. The first is to allow our most successful start-ups to raise not 100, but 500 million, or even 1 billion euros over the next few years. The second is to coordinate our public support with that of the European Union. The third is to slow down the European Parliament and the Commission in their normative madness which is giving the United States a monopoly on algorithms in terms of AI.
Nicolas Bouzou, economist and essayist, is director of the consulting firm Astères
.