Australia already has strong quantum capabilities across all states and territories. State and territory governments recognise the benefits of quantum technologies and are working to grow research, grow businesses and attract international investment. A national approach will ensure these efforts are aligned and complementary.
State and territory capabilities supporting quantum technologies
International opportunities
Growing a thriving domestic quantum ecosystem requires active international collaboration.
Australia’s close partnerships with major economies and strong relationships in our region provide a solid platform to grow our quantum industry. The government will seek international opportunities that:
- align with our international obligations
- use critical technologies to ensure a safe, secure and prosperous Australia, Indo-Pacific region and world.
This will include working with existing partners, and identifying new ones, to:
- boost opportunities for quantum businesses
- establish norms and standards
- build research partnerships
- strengthen supply chains
- explore quantum solutions to global problems.
Strengthening Australia’s international role will:
- accelerate the development of quantum technologies
- attract international talent
- ensure we remain an influential voice in the international quantum community.
We will ensure Australia remains a country that other nations want to work with and invest in. We will pursue international opportunities that align with our national interest and protect our national security.
Australia’s quantum leadership in our region will open new opportunities for collaboration and diplomacy, including with:
- the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
- other Indo-Pacific nations, including our Pacific neighbours
- the United Kingdom
- the European Union
- countries in North America.
Our international work will align with our values and national interests, capitalise on quantum’s economic opportunity and improve wellbeing.
Case study
Leveraging existing partnerships
Australia and the US have signed a joint statement of cooperation on quantum technologies. This will enhance both countries’ quantum industries by improving market access and knowledge sharing. We are also exploring similar partnerships with other nations.
Quad
The Quad – Australia, India, Japan and the United States – works to uphold a stable, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. The Quad’s positive, practical agenda benefits the region by using its combined strengths and capabilities to respond to the region’s key challenges.
The Quad is harnessing critical and emerging technologies to enhance the prosperity and security of the region. This work is organised into 4 areas:
- technology standards
- 5G deployment and diversification
- technology supply chains
- horizon scanning.
The Quad will continue to strengthen its horizon scanning cooperation with a future focus on quantum technologies, and through convening the Quad Technology Business and Investment Forum for networking with industry partners to expand capital for critical and emerging technologies.
AUKUS
The Australia, United Kingdom and United States enhanced trilateral partnership (AUKUS) has 2 related lines of effort – nuclear-powered submarines and advanced capabilities. The partnership is committed to developing joint advanced military capabilities to promote security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
The AUKUS Quantum Arrangement (AQuA) is a core component of this work. AQuA will work to accelerate investments to deliver generation-after-next quantum military capabilities. There will be an initial focus on quantum technologies for positioning, navigation and timing. It is intended that the AQuA work will integrate emerging quantum technologies in trials and experimentation over the next 3 years.
While AUKUS’s primary focus is on enhancing defence capabilities, going forward there will potentially be opportunities for Australia’s broader quantum ecosystem to contribute to and support Defence’s research efforts occurring through AUKUS.
Case study
Collaborating for commercial quantum computers
The University of Technology Sydney’s Centre for Quantum Software and Information (QSI) is participating in the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) quantum benchmarking program. The program quantitatively assesses the performance of quantum computing algorithms and applications at scale. These multi-million dollar projects will be creating new tools and techniques for these assessments and involves global companies including HRL Laboratories, Boeing and General Motors, and quantum technology companies including Zapata Computing, Rigetti Computing, and IonQ.
The quantum benchmarking program is estimating the long-term utility of quantum computers by creating benchmarks that quantitatively measure progress towards transformational computational challenges. The program will also estimate the hardware resources needed to achieve different levels of benchmark performance.
Quantum algorithms are currently benchmarked manually by a few experts, which typically takes several months per application. This practice can be sped up significantly by using software to model error correction, represent modern algorithmic techniques, and compile into low-level instruction sets. QSI researchers are developing the Bench-Q software suite for this purpose with the University of Southern California, University of Texas at Dallas, Aalto University in Finland, and Zapata Computing.
The quantum benchmarking program is using this software to estimate and optimise the cost of quantum algorithms in the processor platforms of Rigetti Computing and IonQ.