Candice’s Current Thinking
Weekly analysis and perspectives on the AI and policy landscape.
THIS WEEK IN AI
Quantum has been the invisible engine of the modern world for decades. Every time we use a smartphone, an MRI machine, or a laser, we are harnessing the first generation of quantum technology: "Quantum 1.0."
Now, we are entering "Quantum 2.0." And the rules are changing.
This week, I'm tracking a draft White House Executive Order on quantum innovation and Los Alamos National Lab consolidating quantum researchers under one center.
Owning the Future of Quantum Computing
On October 23, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration was exploring equity stakes in U.S. quantum computing companies like IonQ, Rigetti Computing, and D-Wave Quantum. The story surfaced just days before President Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which took place on the sidelines of the APEC Summit amid heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing over trade and tech restrictions.
The Commerce Department denied they were “currently” in talks with quantum companies, careful phrasing that neither addressed prior discussions nor ruled out future ones. Quantum stocks rose and remained up, even after the denial.
Candice Bryant Consulting provides strategic intelligence, public affairs advisory, and communications strategy for organizations operating at the intersection of AI and emerging tech policy, national security and public-private partnerships.
“This is a 1996 moment for AI — the companies that show up in Washington will shape the next decade.”
— Candice Bryant