From theoretical physics to practical applications, quantum technology promises ultra-secure communications and transformative computing power, Professor Andrew Forbes, a physicist at the University of the Witwatersrand, discussed the economics of it at the 2025 IT Indaba.
Quantum mechanics is no longer confined to theoretical physics, it’s being applied to computing, communication, and data processing with transformative potential.
Thanks to quantum mechanics’ unusual properties, including entanglement and superposition, researchers are unlocking faster computing capabilities, ultra-secure communications, and entirely new approaches to information handling.
While challenges such as noise interference and scalability remain, the field is advancing rapidly and promises to reshape technology and industry fundamentally.
Andrew discussed current research into what he calls “quantum economics” while addressing delegates at the IT Indaba.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) has declared 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, underscoring the field’s growing importance.
Andrew explained that in quantum computing, particles behave in ways that defy everyday intuition as they exist in multiple states simultaneously and connecting instantly to other particles through entanglement. He also serves as a policy advisor to government and director of South Africa's quantum roadmap.
Particles don’t have definite properties until measured, Andrew said. Some can be entangled, meaning they’re linked so that what happens to one instantly affects the other, even across vast distances. These counterintuitive principles are now being harnessed in real-world technology.
Enabling fundamentally secure communications
“This is the stuff of Star Trek,” he told IT Indaba attendees. “What we can do in the quantum world is facilitate sharing information without information ever being sent.”
Andrew explained that entanglement enables remarkable applications. Quantum systems can gather and process information in ways impossible with classical methods, creating highly precise measurements and data.
Perhaps most significantly, entanglement enables fundamentally secure communications. In one example Andrew provided, a customer can encode information onto one particle to “send” to a bank, while the bank receives the information through its entangled partner.
Since no data physically travels between the two points, interception is impossible. This process, often called quantum teleportation, could transform how sensitive data is shared, offering security that classical networks cannot match, Andrew said.
The implications for cybersecurity are profound. Mark Brits, executive director of the Centre of Excellence in Financial Services, has previously warned of an existential threat to the banking industry as the mathematical encryption techniques currently used to safeguard data sharing could be breached by quantum computers.
Countries worldwide are investing in quantum technology for both economic and security advantages, Andrew noted.
“Everyone sees the importance of this; you’ll see countries have a strategy around quantum science. We also have a national strategy,” he said. “We need to have critical mass in the skills that we have.”
Rather than building full-scale quantum computers, South Africa is focusing strategically on quantum software and secure communication, said Andrew. Current applications include long-distance secure communication links and experimental quantum cameras for security and medical uses.
