Darío Gil, President Donald Trump’s nominee to become the next Energy Department Undersecretary for Science and Innovation, told lawmakers on April 10 that the United States must win the race to build a quantum supercomputer by the end of the decade.
“This future industry is one the U.S. must dominate, as it has profound scientific, economic, and national security implications,” Gil said during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Gil said it’s time for the U.S. to mobilize the “best teams to achieve the final frontier of building an error-corrected quantum supercomputer by the end of the decade.”
Quantum supercomputer technology uses the principles of quantum mechanics to perform calculations far beyond the capability of traditional computers. This allows quantum computers to solve complex problems much faster, with the potential to revolutionize fields like cryptography, drug discovery, and materials science.
If confirmed, Gil pledged to work to “ensure that America wins this great race.”
Building on his experience at IBM – where he directed research in AI, cloud, and quantum computing – Gil said he would leverage his expertise gained in collaborating with IBM’s research team in creating the world’s first cloud-accessible quantum computer.
“That seminal event, along with the 80 quantum computers we’ve built since, was instrumental in shaping the nascent yet vibrant quantum computing industry,” Gil said.
In addition to emphasizing the importance of winning the supercomputer tech race, Gil also described to lawmakers a future where the U.S. could leverage the combined power of AI and supercomputers to create a system model that drives fusion innovation.
Fusion technology is the process of generating energy by combining atoms to form a heavier one, and in the process releasing a large amount of energy. This is the same reaction that powers the sun and could provide a clean, nearly unlimited source of energy if successfully replicated on Earth.
Gil explained that with advancements in AI technology, discoveries that once would have taken decades could now be achieved in just a few years, marking the beginning of “a powerful new era of accelerated discovery.”
“Imagine a future in which fusion – the grand goal of building a star on earth – becomes the first technology fully driven by the AI revolution,” he said. “We can shave decades off development timelines. Imagine a portfolio of similar grand challenges, from novel catalysts to new fertilizers, and beyond. We can usher a new era of sustainable abundance and American dynamism.”