Mauritz Kop is the founder and executive director of the Stanford Center for Responsible Quantum Technology and a Stanford Law School Transatlantic Technology Law Forum Fellow at Stanford University. He also serves as Fellow at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Copenhagen-Cambridge-Harvard Inter-CeBIL Program for International Collaborative Bioscience Innovation & Law, where he focuses on advanced medical computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technologies in the life sciences ecosystem. He is General Counsel at Daiki, a Vienna and Palo Alto headquartered unified SaaS platform committed to building a Trustworthy AI future.
Kop’s interdisciplinary academic work on regulating AI, machine learning training data, intellectual property, and the suite of quantum technologies has been published by Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Berkeley, Oxford, Cambridge, UCLA, Max Planck, Springer Nature, Institute of Physics, Foreign Policy, Fortune, Frontiers in Science, and Nature Physics scholarly and peer reviewed journals.
Kop helps nations across the world -and international organizations like UNESCO, the OECD, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), and the World Economic Forum- to develop Responsible Quantum Technology and Innovation strategies. Over the past years, he provided policy recommendations to the European Commission during the codification of the Artificial Intelligence Act, the Data Governance Act and the Data Act, and delivered copyright expertise to the European Parliament during the EU Copyright Directive legislative process. On the other side of the Atlantic, he has advised U.S. Senators about regulating artificial intelligence and quantum technology.
He studied intellectual property, labor law, contract law, and law and biosciences at Stanford Law School, Maastricht University and VU University Amsterdam, and music theory and practice (clarinet, piano) at KREATO Thorn. Kop, a speaker at the EXPANSE conference in Abu Dhabi Nov. 20-22, recently spoke to The Innovator about quantum technologies and how to safeguard and advance them.
Q: What are the benefits of quantum technologies and how will they impact our lives?
MK: There is a whole suite of quantum technologies. Quantum computing alone is just one pillar. It is a very important one, but most people only know about that and don’t know about quantum sensing, quantum networking and communication, quantum cryptology, quantum AI and quantum Machine Learning. The list of potential benefits of quantum grows every day, and given the upcoming International Year of Quantum 2025, it makes sense to connect these benefits to the United Nation SDG use cases. Within that context, I am working on a project to foster sustainable quantum innovation for social good. Examples of Quantum United Nations SDG use cases that encourage the full stack of quantum technology applications for desirable social goals are myriad and come with great business opportunities. Quantum UN SDG use cases include de novo drug discovery and personalized medicine; design and development; simulating the human body on an individual, group, or community level; hospital, clinical trial and nurse surgery scheduling; medical imaging; precision laser therapy; protein synthesis; applying quantum simulation to chemistry for battery design; carbon capture; alternative energy discovery and development; power plant logistics and optimization; quantum sensing for microchip fabrication; and seismic imaging and prediction. Other quantum SDG use cases include using quantum to lower the cost of advanced computer access for the world’s poorest countries; equitable access to quantum cloud computing (QcaaS) and the imminent quantum Interne;, secure data and communication; synchronized atomic clocks; blind quantum computing [a way for a client to execute a quantum computation using one or more remote quantum servers while keeping the structure of the computation hidden]; resource optimization, water management, 21-day weather forecasting; quantum enhanced navigation; and novel fertilizers to improve agriculture, sustainable foods; quantum simulation for economic policy (testing proposed policy interventions by combining causal inference in macroeconomics and q-simulation of regional and global systems to prevent counterproductive policy effects); industrial catalysts; cleantech; and climate modeling.
We think quantum will be more sustainable, lowering the carbon footprint of classical computing and data processing, The latest ChatGPT model, for example, cost hundreds of millions of dollars to create and the biggest part of the cost is electricity. Quantum uses less energy and the hope is if we can get nuclear fusion done and combine that with AI + quantum we will be able to tackle some of the world’s biggest problems including climate change mitigation,in a very sustainable way.
The UN has proclaimed 2025 the year of quantum technology (IYQ2025) and the EXPANSE conference is going to help set the agenda for the UN quantum year on topics such as the technology’s development, use cases, investment opportunities and a governance framework. XPANSE Quantum will be a strategic avenue to present the voice and recommendations of the quantum ecosystem in preparation for IYQ2025, positioning key international stakeholders at the forefront of shaping the global industry’s agenda and opening doors to the Middle East regions.
A unified global governance framework should balance regulation with innovation, using a principled approach. It should be tailored to the unique promises and perils of quantum technology, using a use case oriented methodology. This framework should be created in multidisciplinary settings and be adopted by all stakeholders including government, industry, academia and end users. The objective is to guide, monitor, and audit this exponentially growing field against compliance standards and benchmarks for responsible innovation, ensuring that this transformative technology develops in a manner that benefits all of society, including World Majority Countries.
Q: We have heard a lot over the last few years about the risks of AI. While you focus on that topic you are also now actively looking at potential harms connected with the exciting new generation of applied quantum technologies in computation, sensing, simulation, cryptography, communication, materials and devices, and quantum-classical hybrid approaches. What are the potential risks and threats?
MK: Data privacy and security, quantum military arms races, power asymmetry, cyber warfare, and exacerbating existing AI threats are top risks. The first generation of sensing and lasers are in the chips in your phone, the laser in your computer mouse and MRI machines that scan your body. The second generation includes disruptive quantum technology that directly harnesses quantum mechanical effects like superposition, entanglement, and tunneling [Three central principles in quantum physics that refer to the phenomena of particles existing in multiple states at the same time (superposition), particles having stronger correlations than is permitted by classical physics (entanglement), and the ability of particles to cross energy barriers (tunneling).] We can now place counter intuitive quantum physics in our materials and our devices and our computers. When you move into the strange and exotic world of the super small, beyond the subatomic level, it creates risk in all market verticals, including military and cyberwarfare. For example, while quantum can enhance cybersecurity, quantum computers could also break RSA, [the public-key algorithm that is one of the oldest and most widely used for secure data transmission], and potentially compromise global data security and privacy. The moment quantum computers break classical encryption is knows as Q-Day. Quantum can also enhance offensive weapons in cyberwarfare and lead to a quantum arms race we really don’t want to have, such as a proliferation of autonomous weapon drones that can make decisions on the battlefield. That’s not all. If businesses, research institutions and countries do not invest in responsible development of quantum technologies in the financial markets and in a skilled quantum workforce, there is a risk of economic disruption. With quantum there is a strong winner takes all effect. The hardware in particular is difficult and expensive to develop so we risk a quantum divide that exacerbates existing inequalities.
There are also privacy invasion risks with quantum sensing and imaging technologies which offer surveillance capabilities and detection that go beyond AI. And, there are unintended consequences that are unpredictable and can go beyond any anticipatory guardrails that humans can put into place. There are a lot of unknown unknowns so we need to do horizon scanning and scenario planning to try and ensure the benefits will always outweigh the risks.
Q: Governments are struggling to keep up with advances in AI. Can we get ahead on quantum and ensure proper guardrails are put in place before the horse gets out of the barn?
MK: That is exactly what my Stanford center is trying to do. We want to make sure we don’t make the same mistakes that we have made with AI, the Internet, genetics, nanotechnology, and nuclear. What we do is use a principled approach before regulations are enacted that makes sure that quantum is developed in a responsible way with universal ethical principles. We have developed ten principles for responsible quantum innovation. The principles are organized into three functional categories: safeguarding, engaging, and advancing quantum technology, society and humankind, and are linked to central values in Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). The safeguarding category of principles supports proactive risk management and responds primarily to the RRI dimension of anticipation and reflection. In particular, the safeguarding principles tackle proactive risk management, delving into information security, dual-use, and the quantum race. By stressing the importance of risk-based quantum impact assessment, anticipating malicious use, and fostering international collaboration based on shared values, these principles help build a solid foundation for responsible innovation. The engaging principles aim to create an inclusive environment for quantum R&D. From bridging the quantum gap to managing intellectual property and cultivating an inclusive R&D environment, these principles are designed to ensure that quantum technologies benefits reach far and wide. The advancing principles advocate for further quantum technology innovation and provide a vision for its role in society, The key to make responsible quantum happen is to jointly optimize the safeguarding, engaging and advancing categories to help foster a prosperous future for all groups of our societies.
We want to connect these principles to quality healthcare and sectors such as automotive, energy and defense to make sure they are safe by applying quantum impact assessments, ethical roadmaps, technology interoperability standards, certification and some hard rules like the EU AI Act. We are advocating for a global approach and for countries to go beyond geopolitical sensitivities and recouple instead of decouple so we can put the benefits of quantum in place for all people in the world. We need the best minds in the Middle East, China, Europe and the U.S. and every country in the world to get this done and pursue quantum for good and for all.
Q: For the longest time quantum has been 10 years away. It seems it is getting closer. What sort of time frames are we looking at for the different types of quantum technologies to make the leap from the lab?
MK: Multiple companies have shared their quantum computing roadmaps. The technology readiness levels (TRLs) of the various quantum technology branches differ significantly. Useful, scalable quantum computing is very close. I think we are less than three years away; quantum networking is about 10 years away; quantum-AI hybrids are being developed right now.
The second generation of quantum sensing – 2G – is already here, It can be used in submarines to enhance radar capabilities. It is also being used in communications to create the next generation of global satellite communications (GPS)..
What is needed is values laden interoperability standards, certification and verification, technology guardrails and more women in quantum to enter the sector.
Q: What advice do you have for governments and corporates about preparing for the quantum age?
MK: A classic example is over-regulation. Be careful with sweeping export controls to address national security concerns because export controls can really hinder innovation and global supply chains by depriving companies of raw materials, such as Helium-3 , which is needed to cool down quantum computers and make sure that quantum technologies can be used to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. If innovation is stifled too much, some countries are going to end up biting their own tails. What we need is planetary thinking with sensible quantum governance and smart, pro-innovation regulation tied to values laden standards. I advise corporates to invest heavily both in quantum and quantum AI today to get ahead of the curve, and to start learning about its responsible use to remain compliant. Become quantum literate and you will be a first mover and enjoy the first mover advantages of being an early investor in the family of quantum technologies.
This article is content that would normally only be available to subscribers. Sign up for a four-week free trial to see what you have been missing.
To access more of The Innovator’s Interview Of The Week articles click here.
