2026 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference | From Laboratory to Industry Deployment, the Integration of Quantitative and Intelligent Technologies Breaks Down Multi-Dimensional Barriers

(Source: Beijing Business Daily)

Quantum technology, as an essential cornerstone of modern science, is challenging the limits of modern physics in unprecedented ways. And the explosion of artificial intelligence has profoundly reshaped the way society interacts with data and knowledge. When quantum meets AI, what happens? This is not only a scientific question, but also a strategic proposition concerning the future shape of society and industrial upgrading.

On March 29, 2026 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference “Quantum Technology and Artificial Intelligence Integration Development Forum” was held in Beijing. Speakers at the meeting noted that quantum-intelligence integration has already produced typical “1+1>2” cases in areas such as quantum error correction, but overall it is still in the early stage of a “couple holding hands,” and taking it from the laboratory to industrial implementation still requires breakthroughs in multiple challenges, including theoretical algorithms, data barriers, and application scenarios.

Typical cases of 1+1>2 have emerged

Quantum technology is a cutting-edge technology system developed based on quantum mechanics principles. It mainly includes three core areas: quantum computing, quantum communication, and quantum precision measurement. It has become a strategic high ground in global technological competition, and it has also been included in China’s “15th Five-Year Plan” as a key future industry for cultivation.

“Quantum computing still has a way to go before solving real-world complex problems in a general, universal stage. At present, artificial intelligence is rapidly developing, and the integration of quantum technology with AI brings more opportunities for technological innovation.” said Xiang Tao, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

In recent years, China has made notable progress in both quantum technology and artificial intelligence. The Quafu quantum computing cloud platform’s composite indicators rank in the international top-tier; the Zuzhngzhi series superconducting quantum computing prototype machines and the Jiuzhang series photonic quantum computing prototype machines continue to iterate and upgrade; and the indicators of key scientific instruments such as high-precision atomic clocks and large-cold dilution refrigerators have reached internationally advanced levels. Coupled with China’s rapid breakthroughs in large models, domestically made chips, and computing-power infrastructure, all of this provides a solid foundation for quantum-intelligence integration.

Specifically, what is the enabling relationship between the two? Ding Haiyu, deputy director of the China Mobile Research Institute, introduced that on the one hand, AI’s powerful capabilities in recognition and reasoning will help address bottlenecks in quantum computing hardware, software, and algorithms. On the other hand, once fault-tolerant quantum computing matures in the future, it is expected to fundamentally break through the efficiency ratio and computing-power limits of classical AI training and inference.

“Currently, large-model development faces challenges such as large data volumes, many model parameters, and high demands for computing power and energy consumption. The superposition and entanglement characteristics of quantum systems give quantum AI models potential advantages in parallel data processing, model expressiveness, and efficiency ratios.” Ding Haiyu said.

Ding Haiyu gave an example. In the field of oil exploration, when dealing with the important problem of underground space penetration prediction, traditional models are constrained by the amount of well-drilling data, so prediction accuracy is relatively limited. The China Mobile Research Institute, together with the PetroChina Exploration & Development Research Institute, proposed a quantum-classical hybrid neural network architecture; compared with traditional AI models, the prediction error was reduced by 20%.

In the view of Zhang Pan, a researcher at the Institute of Theoretical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in the direction of “how artificial intelligence helps quantum computing,” there are already typical cases of 1+1>2. In particular, since 2024 and 2025, AI methods have been widely used for quantum error correction, greatly improving the speed and accuracy of error correction, and have become indispensable technologies in fields such as superconducting quantum computing.

Rodi, an associate professor in the Department of Physics at Tsinghua University, also believes that AI has made real progress in quantum error correction, quantum control, and even quantum-material design. What is especially worth attention is that the inference capability of large models is developing at high speed; in the future, it may drive the automatic discovery of quantum algorithms and quantum theories—what is called “AI quantum scientists.”

Looking forward to patient capital

However, quantum-intelligence integration still has distance to go before moving from the laboratory to industrial implementation. “If you compare quantum-intelligence integration to a marriage, I think it is currently only at the stage where a couple gets to know each other and holds hands, and has not reached the best state of true union.” said Qian Lingru, Chief Expert of China Mobile Group.

Fu Xiaofeng, a first-level巡视员 of the Fifth Division of the Ministry of Science and Technology, said that quantum-intelligence integration is still in an early stage of exploration, and issues such as theoretical algorithms and core technologies urgently need exploration and breakthroughs. In addition, scientific research exchanges between quantum technology and artificial intelligence are relatively limited, and there are barriers in terms of knowledge and discourse systems. Explorations of application scenarios also need to be further expanded.

From a technical perspective, quantum-intelligence integration faces systemic barriers, including difficult hardware data acquisition, difficult cross-domain model transfer, and large challenges of heterogeneous interconnection.

In response, industry insiders call for concerted efforts from governments, industry, academia, research, and application sides to build quantum-intelligence integration’s underlying infrastructure and industrial ecosystem through data sharing, open-sourcing models, and ecosystem openness.

Chen Huaida, deputy general manager of China Mobile Communications Group Co., Ltd., noted that it is necessary to tackle key bidirectional enabling technologies for quantum computing and artificial intelligence, accelerate quantum computing from the laboratory toward practical use, and lay a foundation for realizing the capability boundaries of large models in the future; focus on breaking down “fenced” barriers between quantum and AI, and work together with industry partners such as finance, pharmaceuticals, and energy to jointly build a set of benchmark applications. In addition, it is also necessary to deepen integration of industry and education, open quantum computing devices and cloud platforms, and create a channel connecting theoretical teaching to hands-on training. Relying on the “Jinseed” talent program, nurture composite talents who will lead the future quantum-intelligence integration; and insist on coordinated research and investment efforts—both channeling funding for startups and, through market matchmaking and scenario opening, jointly tackling hard problems so that more potential “unicorn” enterprises can grow stronger with the nurturing of patient capital.

As the person in charge of a startup, Lü Dingshun, founder and CEO of Quantum Kun Technology, has deep feelings about the policy environment. His company was established only a little over a month ago. When applying for government projects, he found that because it is necessary to guarantee 100% delivery targets, the space for innovation is compressed. Therefore, he calls for appropriately relaxing performance assessments for private enterprises, allowing a certain proportion of exploratory failures, in order to break through the upper limit.

Lü Dingshun also pointed out that after AI is added, the pace of disciplinary iteration is extremely fast; the指标 originally expected to be completed in half a year might be finished in a month. But the “imagination” in policy planning and their own planning still lags behind. When collaborating with big companies, startups are like “babies,” hoping to gain more support from patient capital and more opportunities for market connections.

Beijing strives to be a “front runner”

Worth noting is that Beijing, as a double highland in quantum technology and artificial intelligence, is vying to become a “front runner” in promoting quantum-intelligence integration development.

Liu Weihua, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission and the management committee of the Zhongguancun Science and Technology Park, said that currently, the city’s core industry scale for artificial intelligence has reached 450 billion yuan, with more than 2,500 related enterprises. About 80 quantum-related enterprises are clustered there, ranking first in the country. Beijing has both the capability and the responsibility to move to the forefront globally in the transformation brought by quantum-intelligence integration.

At present, Beijing has organized two central state-owned enterprises, China Mobile and China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), together with units such as the Beijing Quantum Institute and the Zhiyan Institute, to establish, nationwide for the first time, a quantum-intelligence integration and quantum-AI collaborative innovation consortium. With the Beijing Quantum Institute as the core, and together with Tsinghua University, Peking University, two national quantum institutes (based at Tsinghua and Peking), and nine nationally key laboratories, as well as leading enterprises such as Huayi Quantum and Boson Quantum, they have formed a high-level innovation matrix. In exploring application implementation, Beijing works with the State Grid to build an end-to-end domestically manufactured quantum substation; cooperates with China Mobile to conduct research on basic quantum computing algorithms software; and works with China Unicom to advance the construction of a high-performance quantum computing cloud platform, promoting enterprises such as Unimag and Kunmai to carry out applications in 35 medical institutions.

Liu Weihua said that looking to the future, Beijing will firmly seize opportunities from the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, and push for the integration of the quantum technology and artificial intelligence industries with greater力度. First, build national quantum technology and industrial highlands to high standards. Deeply integrate national strategic plans, leverage Beijing’s advantages in early quantum technology layout, strong capabilities, and many talents, and implement the “two major” construction efforts such as the building of a quantum computing cloud platform, advancing the development of the Zhongguancun quantum technology incubator and characteristic industrial parks.

Second, enhance original innovation capability and continuously produce major breakthroughs. Organize and implement national key special projects, deepen and advance coordinated efforts among national laboratories, universities and research institutes, and leading enterprises as nationwide advantage innovation bodies, focusing on key technologies in architectures such as the integration of quantum computing, supercomputing, and intelligent computing, and accelerate bidirectional enabling of quantum technology and artificial intelligence.

Third, optimize the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem and deepen international exchange and cooperation. Leverage Haidian District’s advantage in gathering science and technology innovation resources, take on the conversion and implementation of frontier成果 from Tsinghua, Peking University, CAS quantum institutes, and the Quantum Institute, continuously cultivate high-growth and potential quantum enterprises, host high-level activities such as international frontier forums on quantum physics and quantum information science, and enhance Beijing Quantum’s brand influence.

At the forum site, under the guidance of the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission and the management committee of Zhongguancun Science and Technology Park, the Beijing key laboratories in the quantum field officially released themselves. Relying on Beijing’s integrated advantages in education, science and technology, and talent, Beijing has laid out and is building 15 Beijing key laboratories in directions including quantum computing and security, quantum precision measurement, quantum matter state and key devices, and key technologies for “quantum+” applications. These laboratories gather the city’s top scientific research forces in the quantum field, and will become an important engine for Beijing to seize the commanding heights of quantum technology and drive the development of “quantum-intelligence integration.”

Beijing Business Daily reporter Dong Hanxuan

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