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China is closing the quantum technology gap
Patent data suggests Beijing’s push to be a global leader is beginning to bear fruit.
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In the race with China, the US is still ahead in the quantum field. Key players include Google with its quantum computer (above).
PHOTO: ADAM AMENGUAL/NYTIMES
Catherine Thorbecke
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The world has been paying close attention to the global contest for supremacy in artificial intelligence (AI). But the separate race for quantum technology could have an even more profound impact on the geopolitical balance of power. While the US currently leads, China is narrowing the gap – fast.
Quantum technology harnesses the mind-boggling mechanics of quantum physics – the science of how particles behave at the atomic level – to build new kinds of computers, sensors and communication systems exponentially more powerful than today’s.
