Quantum computing is shifting from theory to practice with the news that a team of boffins used the technology to calculate nine molecular configurations of a liquid salt material needed to produce fuel for nuclear fusion, an elusive potential source of almost limitless energy.
The work, done by a team of scientists from IBM, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Cleveland Clinic, is a fundamental step toward the production of tritium, an extremely rare material deemed to be a necessary element to produce nuclear fusion using most of the machines proposed to do so. This is the first known molecular simulation to be made with the help of quantum computing. The atomic-level computations are generally beyond the capabilities of standard computers. In this instance, quantum computing was mixed with classical AI methodology to create a sort of hybrid algorithm more digestible by supercomputers. Ensuring adequate supplies of tritium has long been a barrier to realizing the promise of clean, abundant energy from nuclear fusion plants.
The breakthrough comes as interest in quantum computing intensifies. President Trump last month signed an executive order to supercharge quantum computing development. White House officials convened a closed door this week to explore how to do just that. The Quantum Summit included “serious” senior officials from across the federal government and representatives from the quantum computing industry, according to news reports.
Meanwhile, the Laboratory For Physical Sciences at the National Security Agency (NSA) and the U.S. Army is launching a Quantum Eagle initiative to build robust links between government and commercial quantum stakeholders.
“This initiative is designed to cultivate a resilient U.S. industrial base capable of delivering on the promise of quantum computing for national and economic security,” said Liji Samuel, head of the NSA’s Laboratory for Physical Sciences.
While the Trump Administration tends to focus on the national security implications of quantum computing, IBM is publicly arguing that government and industry need to develop a three-pronged approach that also includes quantum communications and quantum sensing, fields that are likely to see advances almost simultaneously. IBM notes that global and private investment in quantum technologies exceeded $40 billion in 2024, reflecting that quantum technologies will eventually influence industries ranging from pharmaceuticals and finance to defense and energy as quantum technologies become more commercialized.
Undoubtedly, some industries may be negatively affected by quantum computing. Among the more vulnerable is cryptocurrencies, as quantum computers are more likely to hack the digital keys and blockchains that underpin crypto. That threat may be arriving quicker than thought with Google suggesting 2029 as a likely date. Post-quantum digital signatures will likely have greater bandwidth and storage requirements. While the Trump Administration has set a target date of 2030 for quantum security measures, there has been little movement thus far in developing post-quantum security. Crypto’s decentralized structure may make it even more vulnerable to quantum hacks, say some analysts, as it is harder to defend. The bitcoin mining industry also may already be pivoting toward AI infrastructure. For example, a deal between Terawulf and Anthropic will see the conversion of a bitcoin mining facility in Hawesville, Kentucky to an AI data center, reports Reuters. Similarly, a company called Bitdeer has liquidated its bitcoin treasury to put the proceeds into AI data center development. From a planning perspective, the age of quantum computing has already arrived for some.
