Matilda Bailey is a distinguished networking specialist whose expertise lies at the intersection of cellular infrastructure and next-generation wireless solutions. With a career dedicated to tracking the evolution of high-speed connectivity and hardware innovation, she provides a unique perspective on how emerging technologies transition from theoretical physics to enterprise-grade reality. In this discussion, we explore the implications of the recent presidential order on quantum computing, a directive designed to bridge the significant gaps in the domestic supply chain and establish standardized benchmarks for a technology that is notoriously difficult to measure. By examining the roles of government agencies like the Department of Energy and the impact of major private investments, Bailey illuminates the roadmap for the burgeoning “quantum era” and what it means for the future of global technology leadership.
The conversation centers on the structural challenges currently facing the quantum industry, particularly the “flywheel” effect required to incentivize domestic manufacturing of specialized components like cryogenics and photonics. We dive into the critical need for objective performance metrics to allow for fair comparisons between volatile quantum systems, as well as the strategic importance of the Quantum Genesis mission. Furthermore, the discussion touches upon the urgent timeline for quantum-proof encryption, the significance of the $10 billion commitment from industry leaders, and the rising pressure from international competitors who are currently leading the supercomputing rankings.
The manufacturing of specialized lasers, cryogenics, and optics often lacks a robust market engine to drive innovation. How does the recent presidential order attempt to jumpstart this “flywheel” for domestic suppliers who are hesitant to invest in such a niche field?
The core issue is that while many players exist in the broader fields of electronics and photonics, the quantum sector is currently seen as too small to justify the massive capital expenditure required for specialized, high-spec hardware. The executive order acts as a vital demand signal, essentially telling the private sector that the government is ready to partner and create a reliable market for these essential tools. By directing the government to strengthen domestic manufacturing and explore partnership models, the order aims to provide the long-term stability companies need to finally move past their hesitation. We are looking at a scenario where the government might acquire systems specifically to put them in the hands of researchers, which creates an immediate revenue stream for manufacturers. Without this intervention, the market remains stuck in a chicken-and-egg phase where the thin supplier base limits the speed at which we can scale these complex machines. It is about creating that necessary momentum so that the business case for quantum hardware becomes as undeniable as it is for classical silicon.
One of the most relatable challenges in the industry is the lack of stability, where a system’s performance can fluctuate significantly between the morning and the afternoon. Why is the push for standardized benchmarks, like those being developed at Sandia National Lab, so critical for enterprise adoption?
Right now, trying to compare two quantum computers is an exercise in frustration because they lack the basic consistency we have taken for granted in classical computing for decades. In the world of AI, we have very clear benchmarks for everything from math proficiency to image generation, but quantum systems are so sensitive to environmental noise that their output is rarely a constant. If a business leader cannot rely on a consistent performance level, they will never feel comfortable integrating these systems into their actual production workflows or mission-critical infrastructure. That is why the work at Sandia and other national labs is so vital; the industry is crying out for a neutral, non-vendor benchmark that provides an “apples-to-apples” comparison of these systems. Once an organization like Sandia releases a benchmark that isn’t tied to a specific vendor’s marketing department, it will finally allow enterprises to make informed purchasing decisions based on hard data rather than speculative potential.
The Department of Energy is now leading the Quantum Genesis mission to create the world’s first fault-tolerant quantum computer. Can you explain the shift from a physics-based challenge to an engineering one and what “fault-tolerance” means for the industry?
We have officially moved past the era where simply getting a handful of qubits to function was considered a major victory; we are now firmly in the engineering phase where error correction is the true heart of the challenge. Fault-tolerance is essentially the ability of a system to continue operating correctly even when individual components fail or when external “noise” interferes with the delicate quantum state. The Quantum Genesis initiative, which is a key component of the mission announced at the end of 2025, is specifically focused on building a scientifically relevant system that can handle these errors in real-time. Tools like the new AI-powered digital twins available on AWS are making it much easier for researchers to solve these engineering puzzles without needing to go back to school for a PhD. When we finally reach a state of fault-tolerance, quantum computing will stop being a temperamental laboratory experiment and start being a reliable, heavy-duty tool for solving the world’s most complex problems.
With the June 2026 TOP500 rankings showing China’s LineShine as the world’s fastest supercomputer, there is a clear sense of urgency regarding global leadership. How does the executive order address the intersection of international competition and the need for tighter security controls?
The debut of China’s LineShine system marks a significant turning point, ending the recent run at the top by the El Capitan system and signaling the first time a China-based system has led the rankings since Sunway TaihuLight back in 2017. This shift has certainly accelerated the U.S. government’s timeline, leading to an executive order that doesn’t just focus on innovation but also on protecting the technology we already have. The order specifically calls for tighter export controls on key quantum technologies and launches a massive hiring push to ensure the best talent stays within the domestic ecosystem. There is also a major focus on tracking how close these advanced systems are to breaking current encryption, which is why the push for post-quantum cryptography has become such a high-stakes race. We are effectively trying to shore up our digital defenses before these powerful supercomputers and future quantum systems can render traditional security protocols obsolete.
Major private sector players are making massive bets, such as the $10 billion pledge to advance and commercialize quantum technology. How do these massive investments complement the government’s strategic goals, particularly when it comes to “subject to availability” funding?
Since the executive order was signed without immediate funding from Congress, these private-sector commitments are essentially the lifeblood of the industry in the interim. When a company like IBM commits $10 billion to commercializing the technology, it sends a powerful message to the market that the quantum era has already started, regardless of the pace of government appropriations. These investments help bridge the “valley of death” between research and commercial viability, allowing for rapid prototyping and the development of educational primers like those from ISC2. Private capital often moves with a level of agility that government agencies can’t match, which helps drive the engineering breakthroughs needed for error correction and system stability. This synergy between high-level government policy and massive private investment is what will eventually build the “market engine” required to keep the U.S. at the forefront of this technological revolution.
What is your forecast for quantum computing?
I anticipate that by the time we reach the end of 2026, the conversation will have shifted entirely from theoretical “qubit counts” to practical “reliable operations per second.” As the Department of Energy’s Quantum Genesis initiative begins to show tangible results, we will see the industry pivot toward standardized, fault-tolerant architectures that feel less like science experiments and more like the high-performance computing centers we use today. We will also see a massive wave of mandatory updates in the enterprise networking sector as organizations realize that the day quantum computers can break encryption is approaching faster than their implementation of post-quantum cryptography. Ultimately, the next three years will be defined by whether we can successfully marry these government-led strategic goals with the massive $10 billion-plus private investments currently flowing into the sector.
