U.S. Quantum Ambitions Face a Supply Chain Test, Policy Analysts Warn

Insider Brief

• Analysts at the Foundation for American Innovation recommend coordinated U.S. investment in quantum components and manufacturing capacity to support commercialization and reduce supply chain vulnerabilities.
• The analysis identifies limited access to essential inputs, competition from AI infrastructure demand, fragmented government coordination and unstable federal funding as key obstacles.
• Recommendations include advance purchase commitments, targeted manufacturing investments, shared supply chain information and clearer federal plans to buy quantum computing systems.
• Image: Photo by Karine Avetisyan on Unsplash

U.S. quantum ambitions could outpace the supply chains needed to turn laboratory advances into a commercial industry, four policy analysts warn.

In a policy piece published by the Foundation for American Innovation, Joshua Levine, Prineha Narang, Jacqueline Tame and Alexandra Seymour Gabel, write that Washington must invest in the components and manufacturing capacity behind quantum technologies while supporting efforts to build useful machines.

The stakes extend beyond the race to produce an early quantum computer capable of scientifically relevant calculations. The analysts say investment decisions over the next two to five years will help determine who controls the design and large-scale production of essential components, from specialized refrigeration equipment to lasers and control electronics.