The coming entanglement

As the shockwave unleashed by artificial intelligence continues to spread, another technological revolution is already taking shape: quantum computing. Over the coming decade, it could profoundly reshape the digital landscape, for better – through its ability to solve problems of unprecedented complexity – and for worse, given the formidable power it could place in the hands of malicious forces.

What makes quantum computing revolutionary is straightforward in principle. Classical computing relies on bits, binary units of information (0 or 1) that are independent of one another, much like coins landing either heads or tails. Quantum computing, by contrast, uses qubits, which can exist in several states simultaneously (both heads and tails), a phenomenon known as superposition. Moreover, two qubits that have interacted can, under certain conditions, remain correlated, meaning that the state of one is instantly reflected in the other. In such cases, they are said to be entangled. A small number of qubits that are both “superposed” and “entangled” can therefore explore a vast number of possible configurations simultaneously. The leap is not merely quantitative; it fundamentally changes the nature of computation, enabling the resolution of problems that hitherto were beyond reach. While the underlying concept is relatively accessible, its implementation remains highly challenging. Quantum systems operate at temperatures close to absolute zero (-273°C), or only marginally above it, and must be isolated from even the slightest disturbance. At this stage, large-scale application remains unrealistic. But with time and capital, these barriers are likely to be overcome.

Against this backdrop, governments and businesses are stepping up their investments. Mastery of a technology capable of compromising the most widely used cryptographic techniques would confer a decisive strategic advantage. The immediate priority is to mitigate the risk of large-scale decryption by quantum computers. The United States and the European Union, in particular, are urging financial institutions and critical infrastructure operators to prepare for the transition to post-quantum cryptography solutions by 2035. Major tech groups – IBM, Alphabet, Microsoft and Amazon – are helping to shape the ecosystem, while more specialised players, including European companies such as Thales, ID Quantique and PQShield, are developing critical building blocks, particularly in cybersecurity. These promising prospects are already reflected in the financial markets: the MarketVector Global Quantum Leaders Index has risen by almost 70% over the past year.[1]

Leadership in this field is not exclusively Western. China appears to be particularly advanced in quantum communication infrastructure, notably through long-distance networks and satellite-based systems.[2] The race for quantum supremacy is therefore part of a broader strategic competition, extending the rivalry already existing in artificial intelligence, semiconductors and defence systems.

Beyond the immediate security imperative, quantum technologies ultimately promise to enhance the value generated by complex economic systems. Potential applications include certain forms of financial portfolio optimisation, the modelling of new bespoke molecules, the management of energy networks and the coordination of global supply chains. The economic and societal benefits could prove even more significant, as they will be compounded by the simultaneous rise of artificial intelligence. While AI excels at statistical analysis, quantum computing could radically expand the universe of potential solutions that can be explored. Their convergence could give rise to a new generation of hybrid systems with substantial performance-enhancing potential. The result could be a more entangled world, both in the quantum and figurative sense: more complex but better understood and managed, where new forms of fragility are addressed by the very revolution that helped create them.

There is little doubt that a new field of opportunity is emerging. And for economic actors who, unlike quantum particles, cannot be both heads and tails at the same time, value creation is likely to follow a path that is as exciting as it is unpredictable, marked by a succession of genuine quantum leaps.

Completed on 5 June 2026

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[1] In dollars, as of end-May.

[2] As highlighted by bipartisan US think tank CSIS.