WASHINGTON, DC - The Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection, chaired by Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH), held a hearing today examining the emergence of quantum computing and the importance of the U.S. remaining at the forefront of developing this innovation.
“Quantum computers hold tremendous potential to help solve problems involving the discovery of new drugs, developing more efficient supply chains and logistics operations, searching massive volumes of data, and developing artificial intelligence," said #SubDCCP Chairman Latta.
Witnesses look on as members deliver opening remarks
Dr. Matthew Putnam, Founder and CEO, Nanotronics, spoke to the potential impact of quantum computing on manufacturing. He told the subcommittee, “These are brand new industries. It’s not just about disrupting current industries. It’s about creating jobs that are for the next generation of technologies…I think that the Midwest and the rest of the country as a whole can only benefit from this."
Mr. Michael Brett, CEO, QxBranch, described how this technology can apply to the real world and improve life for everyday Americans. “Problems, like how do we optimize our financial portfolio and our 401k, where the amount of computational work that’s required to do that is already immense, but if we want to include more factors involved in that and get the most efficiency for our portfolio, the scale of computational challenge increases exponentially. A quantum computer can help with that. We can take on more complex and more difficult problems and solve them in a much shorter time," he stated.
Dr. Diana Franklin, Professor, University of Chicago, told #SubDCCP, “While the United States has historically been on the forefront of computer science, computer systems, and emerging technologies, lapses in public funding for quantum computing have allowed global competitors to make great strides."
Dr. Christopher Monroe, Chief Scientist and Founder, IonQ, and Professor of Physics, University of Maryland, discussed the challenges at hand and steps that the U.S. can take to foster quantum technology in the workforce. “A key challenge in the development of [quantum technology] in the U.S. is the workforce gap between university research efforts and industrial development," he said.
The Majority Memorandum, witness testimony, and an archived webcast are available online HERE.
