Quantum computing is advancing, but timelines remain uncertain. Preparation today is pragmatic: explore quantum-inspired optimization while hardening cryptography against “harvest-now, decrypt-later” risks. ETPA members should run a two-lane strategy.
Lane one: value exploration. Identify optimization or simulation problems central to your business (routing, scheduling, materials). Benchmark classical baselines, test quantum-inspired heuristics, and track performance deltas. Maintain a small research partnership and a repository of reproducible experiments; avoid vendor lock-in by focusing on problem formulations, not proprietary APIs.
Lane two: post-quantum cryptography (PQC). Build an inventory of crypto usage—TLS, VPNs, code signing, PKI, devices. Pilot hybrid key exchange (classical + PQC), test performance impacts, and update procurement language to require PQC roadmaps. Coordinate with regulators and partners to align timelines.
Governance matters: create a steering group that includes security, legal, and product. Communicate clearly—no fearmongering, no magical thinking. The objective is risk-adjusted readiness: protect long-lived data now and be positioned to adopt useful quantum capabilities when they clear a demonstrable threshold.
For ETPA professionals, credibility comes from level-headed planning: concrete inventories, pilots with metrics, and transparent risk posture. Prepare steadily; hype is not a strategy.
