AI is already Old News -> Nicholas De Masi IonQ at Davos 2026

Niccolò de Masi, CEO of IonQ, declared at Davos 2026 that global fixation on AI is outdated, calling quantum computing the next transformative frontier in technology. He framed quantum advancement as a "profound transformation" poised to redefine security, communications, and computing for decades, eclipsing AI’s current dominance. De Masi compared the race for quantum supremacy to the Manhattan Project, emphasizing its geopolitical stakes and potential to reshape global power structures. Security implications were highlighted as particularly critical, with quantum’s ability to break classical encryption posing existential risks to current cybersecurity frameworks. The remarks position quantum as an urgent priority, suggesting nations and industries must accelerate investment or risk falling behind in what he calls a defining technological era.