Candice’s Current Thinking
Weekly analysis and perspectives on the AI and policy landscape.
THIS WEEK IN AI
Each week I synthesize the key developments in AI and policy so you don’t have to. Here’s what I’m watching:
• A Chinese state-sponsored cyberattack using a commercial AI model
• A push inside the Pentagon to overhaul its acquisitions system
• A state government deploying AI to reduce friction for citizens
Together these stories show how AI is reshaping the geopolitical landscape and public sector.
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