Insider Brief
- The Special Competitive Studies Project announced the formation of the Commission on U.S. Quantum Primacy, a bipartisan group tasked with developing a national strategy to maintain U.S. leadership in quantum technologies.
- The 14-member commission brings together leaders from Congress, national laboratories, academia, and the private sector, including representatives from organizations such as IonQ, IBM, Google Quantum AI, DARPA, Sandia National Laboratories, and Los Alamos National Laboratory.
- The commission will focus on strengthening the U.S. quantum industrial base, maintaining information advantages through quantum algorithms and secure systems, and accelerating integration between quantum and classical technologies, culminating in a policy report with recommendations for national leadership.
PRESS RELEASE — The Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) announced today the formation of the Commission on U.S. Quantum Primacy (CUSP). This high-level, bipartisan body is tasked with developing a comprehensive national strategy to ensure the United States remains the global leader in the rapidly accelerating quantum competition.
As quantum technologies transition from theoretical physics to operational reality, the window to secure a durable advantage is narrowing. The fourteen-member commission will bring together leaders from Congress, the national laboratories, and the private sector to bridge the gap between innovation and national power.
CUSP will be led by co-chairs Ylli Bajraktari, U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) and U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM). They are joined by a distinguished group of experts and policymakers at the intersection of technology and security:
- Dr. Megan Anderson, Executive Vice President of Technology, IQT
- Dr. Gretchen Campbell, Associate Vice President for Quantum Research and Education, University of Maryland
- Niccolo de Masi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, IonQ
- Dr. Jay Gambetta, Director of Research and IBM Fellow, IBM
- Pat Gelsinger, General Partner, Playground Global
- Jack Hidary, Chief Executive Officer, SandboxAQ
- Dr. Mit Jha, Chief Executive Officer, Quantum Corridor
- Dr. Thomas Mason, Director, Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Dr. Whitney Mason, Director of the Microsystems Technology Office, DARPA
- Laura McGill, Director, Sandia National Laboratories
- Dr. Hartmut Neven, Founder and Lead, Google Quantum AI.
“Quantum technology is not just the next frontier of computing; it is a fundamental shift in the landscape of national power,” said Bajraktari, president of SCSP. “CUSP will provide the roadmap to ensure that this shift benefits the free world and that the United States remains the center of gravity for the quantum revolution.”
The Commission’s purpose is to ensure that the emergence and diffusion of quantum technologies strengthen U.S. national security, drive technological transformation, and bolster economic might. To achieve this, CUSP will focus on three core pillars:
- Building a Secure Quantum Industrial Base: Creating a resilient ecosystem of talent, hardware, and supply chains to maintain a long-term technological edge.
- Maintaining Information Advantage: Developing mission-critical algorithms, architectures and protocols, and securing information flows to retain the nation’s data leadership.
- Accelerating Integration and Hybridization: Integrating quantum and classical technologies to identify near-term deployments and ensure the U.S. operational advantage.
“Securing American leadership in quantum is essential to both our economic prosperity and national security,” said Sen. Young. “From the cutting-edge research happening in Indiana to innovation hubs across the country, America has the talent and ingenuity to lead in this transformative field. As our strategic competitors move aggressively, we must act with urgency to accelerate quantum advancements, strengthen our security, and ensure the United States remains the world’s technology leader.”
The Commission will evaluate the current state of the U.S. quantum ecosystem and deliver a final report featuring actionable policy recommendations to ensure that the United States does not merely participate in the quantum age, but defines it.
“Maintaining America’s leadership in quantum research and development is essential to our national security, economic future, and technology advancement,” said Sen. Luján. “I’m honored to serve as Co-Chair of the Commission for U.S. Quantum Primacy alongside Senator Young, bringing together leading experts and policymakers to shape a strong national strategy and drive quantum innovation across the United States. New Mexico is at the forefront of this work, and I’m committed to building on that momentum to strengthen our state’s leadership and ensure the United States remains the global leader in quantum technology.”
The Special Competitive Studies Project is a non-partisan, non-profit initiative with a mission to make recommendations to strengthen America’s long-term competitiveness as artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are reshaping our national security, economy, and society.