Quantum computing has the potential to profoundly impact global development over the next several decades. Development practitioners across a wide range of sectors—from applications in digital finance to broader priorities like tech workforce development—must prepare for the risks and opportunities the quantum computing transition may offer. What will be the impacts of quantum computing on global development? How can USAID and other development actors ensure the benefits from quantum computing are distributed equitably and its risks managed proactively? This report is an effort to address these questions and synthesize current understanding of how quantum computing may affect the trajectory of global development over the next two decades and proposes how practitioners and decision-makers can respond. The report highlights key challenges, risks, potential opportunities of quantum computing, and proposes recommendations for USAID and development practitioners more broadly.
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