In a grand aim to be one of the leaders in quantum technology, the united kingdom has pledged and outlined its grad strategy to further quantum technologies to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of quantum innovation and technology. We outline the main points of the pledge and what it means for the future of quantum technologies such as Quantum Computing. £2.5 billion has been earmarked until 2033 to ensure the United Kingdom can compete on the world stage.
The aim is for the UK to be a leading quantum-enabled economy by 2033, with a world-leading sector where quantum technologies are an integral part of the UK’s future digital infrastructure and advanced manufacturing base, driving growth and helping to build a thriving and resilient economy and society. – The amount will more than double current public investment, aiming to generate an additional £1 billion of private investment into the programme.
The government plans to invest in quantum technologies to accelerate the path to commercialization, capitalize on the UK’s leading position, and maintain economic and national security advantages. The potential benefits of quantum technologies include dramatic improvements in drug discovery, personalized healthcare, energy infrastructure management, data centre energy efficiency, environmental monitoring, disease diagnosis and treatment, global communications network security, and resilience for railways and emergency services.
Quantum Strategic Objectives
| The UK position currently | 2033 target |
|---|---|
| The UK has attracted ~12% of global private equity investment into quantum technology companies (2012-22). | By 2033, the UK will have a 15% share of global private equity investment into quantum technology companies. |
| The UK has an estimated ~9% global market share in quantum technologies (2021/22). | By 2033, the UK will have a 15% share of the global quantum technologies market. |
| Among the top 10 nations producing quantum scholarly outputs, the UK ranks 3rd for the quality and impact of its quantum science. (Based on field-weighted citation impact 2017-21). | By 2033 we will maintain our top 3 positions in the quality of our quantum science publications whilst increasing the volume of our research publications. |
| Since 2014 the UK has funded over 470 postgraduate research students working on quantum technologies or a related discipline. | By 2033, we will have funded 1000 postgraduate research students in quantum-relevant disciplines. |
| Bilateral arrangements with the US on quantum collaboration. | By 2033 we will have bilateral arrangements with five further leading quantum nations based on substantive collaborative work programmes. |
| 25%-33% of businesses have taken concrete steps to prepare for the arrival of quantum computing | By 2033, all companies within key sectors of the UK will be aware of the potential of quantum technologies, and 75% of relevant companies will have taken steps to prepare for the arrival of quantum computing. |
There is a lot to go over, and the best way is to read it yourself, as we can only do so much of an excellent job summarising the plan. To read the full comprehensive report, you can visit here.
