It is past time to upgrade to post-quantum encryption - The Economist

Leaders | Quantum and solace It is past time to upgrade to post-quantum encryption When the quantum breakthrough comes, data being harvested today will be exposed Share Photograph: Quantinuum Jul 29th 2026|3 min read IT IS not just artificial intelligence that is sparking hopes of an imminent productivity miracle. Quantum computing, another long-promised technology, is also making progress and attracting serious interest. Investment in startups in the field rose six-fold in 2025, to $13bn, according to McKinsey, a consultancy. Both startups and tech titans are racing to exploit the technology. In May the Trump administration pledged $2bn to take equity stakes in nine quantum-computing companies. Already have an account?Log in Continue with a free trial Get full access to our independent journalism for free Free trial Or create a free account to unlock just this article Create account Explore more Share Reuse this content More from Leaders America’s startup boom offers hope for the future of work AI could make more people their own boss China is testing America’s defence lines in Asia The allies must work to strengthen themselves, but also to strengthen America’s commitment AI is getting better at writing. Humans must get better at editing Our investigation suggests how What the Big Mac index reveals about a global currency beef It highlights economic problems—and helps explain how to solve them Europe’s fires are just the start They are not a new normal. But worse can nonetheless be expected Lebanon has a chance to break free of Hizbullah With better government, it could become a business hub once again