U.S. Risks Falling Behind in Quantum Race, Colorado Leaders Warn

Insider Brief

• U.S. leaders warn that without stronger investment, the country could lose its lead in quantum technology to China, with major economic and security consequences.
• Colorado’s Elevate Quantum consortium received the nation’s only federally funded Tech Hub award for quantum, unlocking over $127 million in additional support.
• A workforce roadmap by CU Boulder projects that up to 90% of future quantum-related jobs will not require a Ph.D., emphasizing the need for broad-based training.
• Image: A graduate student at JILA works with a dilution refrigerator. (CU Boulder Today/Peter Burns)

The United States is still ahead in quantum computing, but without urgent and sustained investment, that edge could vanish — and with it, U.S. leadership in global technology.

That’s the warning from Colorado Governor Jared Polis and CU Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz, who argue in an op-ed for The Denver Gazette that the U.S. faces a high-stakes competition with China for dominance in quantum science and technology. The implications, they write, are geopolitical, economic, and societal.

The authors cite a report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, which found that China now leads in 57 out of 64 critical technology areas.

Quantum computing is a radically different form of computing that relies on quantum bits, or qubits, which can process multiple possibilities seemingly at once, unlike traditional binary bits. Although environmental “noise” can throw off sensitive quantum calculations, experts believe that if this is solved, quantum computers have the potential to revolutionize fields and industries.

“The stakes are high, as quantum technology has the potential to revolutionize numerous industries, from health care and energy to national security, agriculture and transportation,” Polis and Schwartz write in The Denver Gazette.

Not Just Computing

But quantum isn’t just about computing. As the authors note, sensors based on quantum physics are already being used in Colorado to detect methane leaks in oil fields and even diagnose lung cancer. These technologies are real, and they’re advancing fast.

In recognition of this growing potential, the United Nations has declared 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. That global spotlight, Polis and Schwartz write, underscores the need for the U.S. to step up.

One place where that is already happening is Colorado. The region is home to Elevate Quantum, a consortium of companies, universities, and workforce organizations that recently won $40.5 million in federal funding as part of the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Tech Hubs initiative. It was the only quantum-focused award granted nationwide.

According to The Denver Gazette op-ed, the funding helped unlock more than $127 million in additional federal and state commitments, catalyzing a regional push that includes grants, tax credits and workforce training to turn Colorado into a national quantum stronghold.

But they warn the industry has just scratched the surface of needed funding.

“While continued federal funding is crucial,” the authors write, “the private sector also must play a more active role.”

They highlight the recently announced Stargate Initiative, a $500 billion plan backed by former President Trump to build out the nation’s artificial intelligence infrastructure — where quantum computing will serve as a key enabler.

Early Adopters, Workers to be Main Beneficiaries

The authors argue that early adopters — companies and investors willing to take risks in quantum now — will benefit most when today’s lab experiments become tomorrow’s core technologies. And unlike past industrial revolutions, this one won’t be reserved for Ph.D.s and elite engineers.

Polis and Schwartz point to a quantum workforce roadmap released last year by CU Boulder, which projects that up to 90% of quantum-related jobs in the coming years will be accessible to workers without a doctorate. Roles will range from lab technicians and engineers to welders, sales reps, and finance analysts.

“American workers won’t simply be beneficiaries of the quantum revolution as consumers,” the authors write in The Denver Gazette. “They’ll be part and parcel of it.”

They call for a broad educational effort, spanning high schools, community colleges, and four-year universities, to ensure the U.S. builds not only quantum machines — but also a quantum-ready workforce.

“A robust system of high schools, two- and four-year colleges, and workforce training programs will ensure that quantum is a game-changer for workers of all stripes,” Polis and Schwartz write.

The authors, however, offer a stark analysis about the risks. If the U.S. loses the quantum race, they warn, the cost could be a strategic advantage ceded to China, undermining both economic prosperity and national security. In a future shaped by quantum science, they argue, leadership will go to those who invest boldly — and early.

“The time to act is now,” Polis and Schwartz write. “The U.S. must leverage its strengths, including its history of innovation, educational underpinning, technical expertise, and entrepreneurial spirit, to ensure we lead the quantum revolution. So who’s with us?”