Chair and honourable members of the committee, thanks for the invitation to appear before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology.
My name is Barry Sanders. I'm a professor at the University of Calgary specializing in quantum science and technology, including the pillars of sensing, communication and computing. I'm also scientific director of Quantum City at the University of Calgary and a senior fellow of the Centre for International Governance Innovation in Waterloo, where I focus on analysis and policy for emerging dual-use technologies, with quantum and AI being important examples.
I'd like to make three points about the relationship between AI and quantum technologies and why that relationship matters for public policy.
The first is AI for quantum. AI is helping advance quantum technologies. Quantum computing faces engineering challenges, especially noise, instability and scaling up the size. AI can help design better devices, improve system control and reduce errors. In quantum sensing, AI helps extract weak signals from noisy data. In quantum communication, AI can support network management and anomaly detection. In short, AI is becoming an enabling tool that can make quantum technologies more practical, more scalable and more useful.
The second is quantum for AI. Quantum computing could eventually offer new ways to perform certain computations relevant to AI, including optimization and sampling. These possibilities remain experimental today. Timelines are uncertain. That means policy should be balanced. Canada should monitor developments closely, invest in research capacity and prepare strategically while avoiding exaggerated claims that could distort near-term priorities. At the same time, AI and quantum could create parallel risks before they converge. AI is changing cyber-offence and cyber-defence. Quantum computing could threaten current encryption systems. Together, these trends strengthen the case for timely action on cybersecurity and cryptographic resilience.
The third is what this means for policy. The co-evolution of AI and quantum technologies is faster than regulatory systems are designed to respond. Both are dual-use technologies. Advances in civilian applications can also carry security implications. This creates a classic governance challenge. Regulate too early and you constrain innovation. Regulate too late and the technology becomes difficult to shape.
Canada needs, therefore, adaptive governance—a mix of legislation, standards and technical oversight that can evolve with the technology. Canada also needs coherence across government—innovation, economic development, export controls, research security and national defence, which are often handled through separate mandates. Without coordination, policies can work against each other. For example, if export controls are poorly designed for emerging quantum technologies, that could limit access to talent, supply chains or collaboration with trusted allies. Because these technologies are global, Canada should coordinate with key partners, including NATO and the G7, to reduce fragmentation and align approaches where possible.
In conclusion, AI is becoming part of the technical foundation of quantum technologies, while quantum computing could eventually influence some future AI systems. At the same time, both technologies may independently reshape cybersecurity, economic competitiveness and strategic power. This matters for Canada's long-term prosperity and security. It calls for careful, evidence-based policy grounded in realism rather than speculation.
Thank you. I look forward to your questions.