The Quantum Computer Revolution Is Closer Than You May Think

Let’s make no mistake: The race for a quantum computer is the new arms race.

As Arthur Herman wrote in a recent NRO article, “Quantum Cryptography: A Boon for Security,” the competition to create the first quantum computer is heating up. The country that develops one first will have the ability to cripple militaries and topple the global economy. To deter such activity, and to ensure our security, the United States must win this new race to the quantum-computer revolution.

Classical computers operate in bits, with each bit being either a 0 or 1. Quantum computers, by contrast, operate in quantum bits, or qubits, which can be both 0 and 1 simultaneously. Therefore, quantum computers can do nearly infinite calculations at once, rather than sequentially. Because of these properties, a single quantum computer could be the master key to hijack our country.

The danger of a quantum computer is its ability to tear through the encryption protecting most of our online data, which means it could wipe out the global financial system or locate weapons of mass destruction. Quantum computers operate much differently from today’s classical computers and could crack encryption in less time than it takes to snap one’s fingers.