- Science & Technology
- Security & Defense
- Economics
- US Defense
- Answering Challenges to Advanced Economies
- Understanding the Effects of Technology on Economics and Governance
In a year full of talk about revolutions past (1776) and present (AI), there’s yet another upheaval to ponder: an emerging “quantum revolution” that will change the boundaries of science and industry as it deeply impacts global commerce and geopolitics -- the US, China, and European nations are all making advancements in the field. Hoover fellow Eyck Freymann and three co-authors discuss their recent Hoover Institution paper detailing how America and its global friends and allies can win the “quantum race”. Among the topics visited: quantum’s promise in terms of improving current living conditions (for example, studying climate change) and its myriad challenges (most notably, data privacy and international espionage). Also discussed: the need for considerable investments in research, an emphasis on diplomacy and greater international cooperation, plus lessons learned from the semiconductor industry regarding supply chains, intellectual property, and geopolitical vulnerability.
Recorded on July 14, 2026.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Eyck Freymann is a Hoover Fellow, director of the Hoover’s Institution’s Allied Coordination Working Group and a participant in Hoover’s Applied History Working Group. He’s the author of several books, including Defending Taiwan, The Arsenal of Democracy, and One Belt One Road.
Sophie Coste is an analyst at Greenmantle, a geopolitical advisory firm, where she researches emerging tech, US-China competition, and economic choke points. She worked previously on energy security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and at SAFE’s critical minerals center.
Kathrina Klotz is a PhD candidate at the University of Oxford, researching the impact of dual-use technology on states’ economic and military security strategies. She is also the Europe analyst at Greenmantle. Previously, she researched the geopolitics of space and quantum technologies at the Oxford Internet Institute and the Oxford China Policy Lab.
Dr. Sebastian Orbell is a physicist and engineer on the Quantum Control team at Quantum Machines, where he builds agentic AI systems for the autonomous operation of spin and superconducting quantum computers.
Bill Whalen is the Virginia Hobbs Carpenter Distinguished Policy Fellow in Journalism at the Hoover Institution. In addition to serving as the moderator of Goodfellows, he also hosts Hoover’s Matters of Policy & Politics podcast, which spotlights the work of Hoover fellows. Whalen writes and comments on campaigns, elections and governance, with an emphasis of California and America’s political landscapes, and contributes to Hoover’s California on Your Mind and Defining Ideas web channels.
RELATED SOURCES
- The Quantum Revolution: A Guide for Allied Policymakers. Hoover Institution Press, 2026.
ABOUT THE SERIES
Matters of Policy & Politics, a podcast from the Hoover Institution, examines the direction of federal, state, and local leadership and elections, with an occasional examination of national security and geopolitical concerns, all featuring insightful analysis provided by Hoover Institution scholars and guests.
