What Is It?
Quantum computing rests on a fundamentally different approach from classical computing. Whereas classical computers process information as 0s and 1s, quantum computers exploit phenomena such as a qubit's ability to hold a combination of 0 and 1 at the same time (superposition) and the formation of a strong link between qubits that has no classical counterpart (entanglement). This makes it possible to target, for certain classes of problems, a computational efficiency that classical methods cannot reach in practice. Today's devices are still at an early stage; they have a limited number of qubits and are prone to errors (the noisy intermediate-scale quantum, NISQ, era). Large-scale, fault-tolerant systems that can correct their own errors remain an active research goal worldwide and have not yet been realized at full scale.
Why Is It Important?
Quantum computing carries the potential for a profound transformation in areas such as chemistry and materials simulation, optimization, and artificial intelligence. These areas rapidly become intractable for classical computers as the number of variables and possibilities grows. The security dimension is at least as important: Shor's algorithm can, in theory, break the public-key cryptography (RSA, ECC) that is widely used today from internet banking to government communications. For this reason, quantum computing is not merely a computing technology but also a matter of national security and cryptography; it directly drives the transition to post-quantum cryptography (PQC). Moreover, recent academic studies indicate that the estimated number of qubits required to break these systems has fallen rapidly — from millions to hundreds of thousands, and then to roughly ten thousand — suggesting that the threat may materialize earlier than previously anticipated.
Objective In This Area
In the near term, priority is concentrated on the software and algorithm side rather than on hardware production; the aim is to develop domestic capability through simulation tools and access to quantum processors via the cloud. Within this scope, priority is given to quantum security and cryptography; the development of quantum-resistant encryption algorithms and the adoption of measures against the threats posed to public-key systems (RSA, ECC) are identified as the principal objective. Hardware-independent quantum algorithms, optimisation and machine-learning applications, together with hybrid (quantum–classical) computing software, quantum simulations, and the strengthening of the quantum education ecosystem, are also among the near-term objectives.
In the long term, the focus is on hardware approaches and on contributing to quantum error correction (QEC) research; the ultimate goal is to achieve fault-tolerant, scalable, and economically viable quantum computer systems. To this end, supporting research and development on different qubit technologies, developing semiconductor and optoelectronic infrastructure for the domestic production of quantum circuit and control components, and establishing a national quantum software library are envisaged.