Emerging quantum technologies will impact industry and society at large, but how and to what extent we do not know yet. That is why a TU Delft Quantum Vision team set about exploring this impact, with a special focus on quantum internet as the first technology that is likely to become reality. The results of this consultation have now been published as a magazine.

“We will only know the true impact once it is out there, but it is our responsibility as a scientific community to investigate the potential consequences of such a new and ground-breaking technology”, says professor Pieter Vermaas, who headed the team. “Back in the 1990s, the early days of internet and mobile phones, nobody could have predicted the way in which our lives today are influenced – if not governed – by our smartphones ”, adds Professor Deborah Nas, also part of the team.”

The Vision team studied national and international reports on quantum technologies, spoke to other organisations involved in identifying societal issues that can emerge with the introduction of quantum internet, and held workshops to discuss how quantum internet may impact society.

The magazine
The outcomes and recommendations resulting from this exploration have been published in a magazine that should appeal to all. Some readers may gain a better understanding of how quantum internet and other quantum applications will work. For others, it may be an incentive to join forces with TU Delft to work on developing these promising new technologies, as well as a motivation to continue to research their societal impact.