Preliminary report November 2026
Defining the
American
quantum era.
A national strategy begins with a shared ambition: turn quantum breakthroughs into lasting American strength.
01 The challenge before us
Scientific leadership
is only the beginning.
The next frontier is turning discovery into capability.
The report argues that U.S. strengths in research, software, and private investment must translate into systems that can be built, adopted, and scaled. Competition with China makes industrial capacity, trusted supply chains, and global influence central to that effort.
Quantum primacy means the sustained ability to discover, develop, deploy, and scale quantum capabilities that strengthen national security, innovation, and economic competitiveness.
The challenge & quantum primacy / pp. 5–10Three technologies. Different timelines.
One connected quantum ecosystemQuantum sensing
Precision measurement is moving into navigation, defense, healthcare, and scientific discovery, offering early opportunities to learn from real-world deployment.
Measure with greater precisionQuantum computing
New approaches could expand what is possible in chemistry, materials, and drug discovery. Error correction, scale, and useful applications remain essential challenges.
Solve consequential problemsQuantum networking
Connecting quantum computers and sensors could unlock distributed capabilities. Early networks exist; the broader vision needs advances in science and infrastructure.
Connect quantum capabilitiesTechnology outlook / pp. 5–6, 12, 15
02 Across the ecosystem
Five challenges cut across the quantum lifecycle.
Meeting them requires coordinated action across government, industry, academia, national laboratories, and trusted partners.
Barriers to quantum primacy / pp. 9–1001A resilient industrial base
Factories, foundries, and reliable suppliers turn scientific progress into deployable systems. Shared access to fabrication, packaging, and testing can address bottlenecks in cryogenics, photonics, specialized materials, and other critical inputs.
Explore Scale02Software that unlocks utility
Algorithms, control systems, and error correction make hardware useful. AI can accelerate design and algorithm discovery, while shared standards help applications connect across quantum and classical systems. Practical quantum benefits must be demonstrated against improving classical approaches.
Explore Development Also discussed on pp. 5–6, 13–1403Real applications. Secure adoption.
Quantum technologies need to fit into the systems organizations already use. Near-term sensing deployments can yield practical lessons, while post-quantum cryptography and adaptable security practices prepare critical digital infrastructure for future threats.
Explore Deployment Also discussed on pp. 14–1604A broader quantum workforce
The talent base must extend beyond doctoral researchers to engineers, software developers, technicians, educators, and operators. Hands-on training, transferable skills, and pathways for international talent connect research strength to industrial capacity.
Explore Scale Also discussed on pp. 16–1705Sustained national direction
A coordinated, bipartisan effort needs dependable funding and a long-term view that extends beyond a single administration. Policy must also remain flexible as the science evolves, with trusted allies expanding access to capabilities, talent, and markets.
Explore Discovery Also discussed on pp. 8, 17–1903 The framework for quantum primacy
Four elements.
One national advantage.
Progress in each strengthens the others.
Select an element to explore what it takes
and where to act next.
Keep the frontier
moving forward.
Scientific leadership depends on sustained basic research, the freedom to explore multiple approaches, and the talent that research develops.
A continuously renewed scientific frontier, supported by predictable funding and room to pursue ideas before their applications are clear.
Near-term priorities 02
- 01
Match ambition with sustained investment.
Increase long-term support for quantum science across agencies, universities, and national laboratories, using new funding partnerships to widen access and accelerate breakthroughs.
- 02
Discover new algorithms and applications.
Create dedicated research funding, support AI-enabled scientific tools and collaboration, and encourage open access to foundational algorithms.
Turn breakthroughs
into useful systems.
Hardware, software, algorithms, and control systems need to advance together. Shared evaluation makes progress meaningful and systems easier to combine.
Applications ready as machines mature, with shared benchmarks and interoperable interfaces connecting quantum technologies to classical infrastructure.
Near-term priorities 02
- 01
Co-develop software alongside hardware.
Establish a national program for iterative software and algorithm development, drawing on the Exascale Computing Project’s approach to advancing systems and applications together.
- 02
Build shared benchmarks and interoperable systems.
Expand federal validation efforts through a NIST-led public-private partnership to compare systems, align interfaces, and connect quantum and classical technologies.
Make quantum work
in the real world.
Useful capabilities must fit into existing operations. Adoption depends on measurable value, repeatable integration, and security built in from the start.
Quantum tools delivering value in government, infrastructure, and commerce, supported by a digital ecosystem resilient to quantum-enabled threats.
Near-term priorities 03
- 01
Expand mission-relevant use cases.
Work with early adopters to test where quantum improves performance, cost, or resilience, including applications suited to current and near-term hardware.
- 02
Build repeatable integration pathways.
Turn demonstrations into reusable evidence, procurement lessons, and hybrid quantum-classical workflows that others can adopt.
- 03
Accelerate post-quantum security.
Support post-quantum cryptography adoption in critical infrastructure and state and local government, with testing, practical guidance, and cryptographic agility.
Build the capacity
to lead for the long term.
Quantum primacy needs the industrial base, people, and partnerships to produce and operate capabilities at the volume, cost, and speed that demand requires.
Resilient supply chains, shared manufacturing capacity, a workforce spanning research to operations, and a trusted allied quantum market.
Near-term priorities 03
- 01
Secure supply and shared manufacturing.
Address critical dependencies through domestic and trusted allied suppliers, and establish a National Quantum Foundry Access Program for shared fabrication and testing.
- 02
Build the full quantum workforce.
Expand courses, apprenticeships, industry partnerships, and regional training, while attracting and retaining international students and skilled workers.
- 03
Forge an allied quantum market.
Align testing and procurement, expand trusted supplier access, and enable appropriate technology sharing with stable, risk-based export controls.
A reinforcing cycle: lessons from deployment and scale inform the next discoveries.
04 The path ahead
Shape the era.
Build the advantage.
This preliminary report establishes the framework for U.S. quantum primacy. The Commission’s final report, planned for Spring 2027, will translate it into an implementation strategy.
Read the full report Defining the American Quantum Era / November 2026