Quantum technologies are poised to reset what is computationally feasible. Understandably this stimulates a race to unlock the new possibilities by and for isolated actors. Crucially, it also offers us hope to find new solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges – the ones that are the most complex to model, are multifaceted and interconnected in nature, and have a global impact. These potentialities need not be mutually exclusive and, through concerted G7 effort, can be jointly realised. The Open Quantum Institute, conceived for this purpose, can be used as the resonant platform to help channel these international efforts.
Defining the terms of collaboration
To ensure the resilience of the innovation ecosystems, applying disruptive technology to global challenges needs balanced actions, knowledge and cooperation along the entire global supply chain and global delivery chain. This means security-sufficient openness between actors worldwide to encourage the necessary collaboration and calibrated legal access to technology. The G7 could usefully establish clarity on the concept of openness for emerging technologies such as quantum to avoid blanket and knee-jerk closure, and by doing so signal areas where collaborative approaches are nurtured and supported for mutual benefit and global impact. Building on the openness foundations championed by the OQI can help increase such clarity. The G7 could also promote a standards-first approach to foster interoperability, starting with terminology, technical standards, benchmarking and safety, to facilitate collaborative innovation. Similarly, to enhance the resilience of the quantum supply chain itself, simple harmonisation measures should be implemented, such as promoting the use of the Quantum Criticality Index.
G7 leaders can champion and support global efforts to align quantum development with the UN Sustainable Development Goals by involving worldwide actors and actively bridging emerging ‘quantum divides’. Beyond the evident equitable access bridges, to secure infrastructure or prepare for post-quantum cryptography, there should be bridges that support building research capacity and skilled talent worldwide to enable meaningful collaboration in developing globally impactful solutions. Cooperation on capacity building, involving education support and workforce development at a global level, will foster collaboration on peaceful applications and build awareness and trust, especially in the public. To amplify G7 national initiatives, connections should be strengthened with OQI’s existing
international capacity-building initiatives with underserved geographies.
Building trusted quantum ecosystems
The pace of quantum developments and the general immaturity of their technology readiness means that a formal global regulatory framework could not be agile or relevant enough to have useful impact at present. Instead, they motivate a collaborative approach among countries to align crucial factors such as export controls, investment screening and supply chain security. By aligning incentives and investments, the G7 can achieve strategic goals while also fostering collective dual-use readiness and responsible development practices. By involving industry, academia and civil society in governance discussions, the enabling frameworks can be steered to be technically sound, practical and democratically legitimate. The G7 Joint Working Group on Quantum Technologies, established by Canada’s 2025 G7 presidency, is an excellent step in this direction and should be strengthened and partnered with global initiatives for good, such as OQI, already anchored in such multistakeholder collaborations, and the Global Quantum Initiative, in order to build the globally trusted ecosystems in which the shared governance norms can emerge. Through the OQI, hosted at CERN, G7 actions also capitalise on the proven experience of science-driven innovation, international collaboration for the benefit of all, and the technological leadership of CERN.
