Volta B1, the quantum system with over 4,400 qubits, has been unveiled. Crosetto: ‘Technology is power’

Technology is making inroads into industry and is turning its attention to the defence sector under the ‘dual-use’ concept. The term ‘dual-use’ refers to a technology, product, piece of software or body of knowledge that can be used for both civilian and military purposes. On 16 October, Volta B1 – Italia’s first quantum computer utilising the technique of quantum annealing, with over 4,400 qubits (the fundamental units of quantum information processing) – was inaugurated at Villa Saporiti in Como. Quantum annealing utilises a quantum physical process to search for configurations that minimise a mathematical cost, such as the total distance travelled or the consumption of resources. The problem must be translated into a form compatible with the system.

The event marked the conclusion of the Digital Innovation Forum, which took place at Villa Erba in Cernobbio, and during which D-Wave had announced the arrival of the Advantage2 system in Lombardy. The ceremony, organised by Q-Alliance and entitled ‘Quantum for Italia’, forms part of the celebrations marking the bicentenary of Alessandro Volta’s death. Funded by Swiss Quantum Technology (SQT), the system will provide European researchers, universities and businesses with access to production-grade quantum technology, which is also available via the Leap cloud service.

“Technology is power,” remarked Defence Minister Guido Crosetto. “And the future of national security,” he added, “also lies in quantum technology. Italia must be a leading player in the technological revolution, not a bystander. Today, a nation’s strength is also measured by its ability to develop technologies, manage data and transform knowledge into tangible capabilities. We have centres of excellence in research, industry and defence. The challenge is to bring these together, pooling expertise and accelerating innovation. This is the strength of dual-use: a cycle in which research, industry and defence reinforce one another. ‘Do we want to depend on other people’s technologies or help build those of tomorrow?’ asked Crosetto. ‘A nation’s sovereignty also depends on its ability to innovate,’ concluded the Defence Minister.