As the global race for quantum technologies accelerates, the teams at ITRI exchanged with Alain Aspect, Nobel laureate in Physics in 2022 for his pioneering work on quantum entanglement, which paved the way for the second quantum revolution. Aspect, who had visited Taiwan at the end of 2024, shared an enthusiastic yet measured perspective on this fast?moving field.
The conversation starts with a warning: “In science and technology, it is very difficult to predict more than two years ahead, as major shifts often occur unexpectedly.” Rather than making prophecies, Aspect prefers to rely on observation and intuition, two qualities he sees as essential to scientific thinking. And his main observation is clear: “The quantum field advances more rapidly than I had envisaged.” Since winning the Nobel Prize, Aspect has met research teams worldwide and has been impressed by their pace. Though no longer active in a lab, he remains close to research through two French startups: Pasqal, which he co‑founded and which leads in neutral‑atom processors, and Quandela, a photonic quantum computing company where he serves as a board member. These roles allow him to witness acceleration first‑hand. “Pasqal works in a field I know perfectly and where I understand the challenges. Month after month, I see their teams overcoming obstacles I thought would take several more years.”
This rapid progress, he says, extends to all types of qubits as well as quantum sensing and communications. These two areas already show tangible applications that are often underestimated. “For sensing, we already have well‑proven techniques in the lab, like NV centers or squeezed light methods. They are used today in specialized fields, but I am convinced many practical applications will follow.”
On quantum communications, he is equally optimistic: “It sounds like science‑fiction, but it really works.” The main bottleneck for large-scale deployment, he explains, lies in quantum memories: “Quantum memories exist, but they’re not good enough yet.” Investing in this area, he believes, is a very solid focus: with reliable memories, it would be possible to link large infrastructures such as data centers.
Despite the encouraging overall picture, Aspect remains measured: for now these are still niche applications, and without a “killer app,” they could remain so. This caution, however, should not obscure the disruptive potential of quantum technologies. Quantum mechanics operates on principles so different from classical computing that unexpected developments may arise. To illustrate, he recalls how the first quantum revolution gave rise to personal computers and telecommunications. The point, he says, is less about predicting precisely the path than being ready when the breakthrough comes: “There will be a huge difference between those who have prepared and those who have not.”
People first,hardware where you excel
So, how can we be ready? Aspect’s advice is to stick to the principles that always pay off: invest in science and train specialists. Despite links between disciplines, quantum technologies remain fundamentally different. For training, he stresses the importance of giving as much weight to mathematics as to hardware engineering: “Quantum programming is completely different and should not be overlooked.” This 50/50 allocation is far from the norm today but will become even more strategic as common platforms develop, allowing software tools to work across qubit types, pointing to the collaboration between Pasqal and IBM on software integration as an example.
On the hardware side, Aspect’s main advice is to build on existing strengths. Addressing Taiwan specifically, he sees two promising avenues. The first and most straightforward: leverage Taiwan’s expertise to develop enabling technologies such as cryogenics and control electronics, which demand deep industrial know‑how to scale.
The second, particularly relevant for him, concerns hybrid systems. Instead of racing for full‑stack quantum computers, Taiwan could work on integrating small quantum devices into classical architectures. “I like the example of quantum random number generators, the only physical devices able to produce true randomness and which can already be integrated.” It may seem minor, but in his view it illustrates perfectly how quantum accelerators and sensors, could coexist with classical computing.
The importance of openness
Throughout the interview, Aspect also insists on another essential guideline: keeping science open and encouraging broad scientific exchange. “International cooperation is an absolute necessity; it’s too difficult to progress in silos.” This belief underpins his support and his decision to lend his name to the joint training program between France and Taiwan, led by NTU and Université Paris‑Saclay – his alma mater and one of the largest quantum ecosystems in the world. Such initiatives are especially important for mid‑sized actors like France and Taiwan because they are specifically designed to build on complementarities and foster a more inventive, cross‑trained workforce.
Asked to conclude with a message to the younger generation, Aspect’s words are simple but profound: “Focus on hard problems, stay open to the unexpected, and cultivate patience.” In the quantum world, as in life, the future resists prediction, but it rewards preparation.
