California’s flag is planted at the University of California, Berkeley, as Governor Newsom signs a landmark bill on quantum innovation.
Quantum Innovation Bill
At UC Berkeley’s Campbell Hall in October 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 940 (AB 940), also referred to as the Quantum Innovation Bill, into law. The goal of the bill is to strengthen California’s position as the “epicenter of global innovation” and increase its leadership in the rapidly developing field of quantum computing and the larger quantum economy. In the signing ceremony, UC Berkeley was positioned as a frontrunner in the endeavor to make the Bay Area and California a major hub for this dynamic economy.
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Strategic Push for a Trillion-Dollar Industry
Maintaining California’s technical leadership, building a robust talent pipeline, and opening up new R&D opportunities are the key objectives of AB 940, which is anticipated to grow into a sector worth more than $1 trillion. The purpose of the law is to create jobs and boost the economy.
The development of a comprehensive strategic framework is required under AB 940 for the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). By converting basic quantum research into concrete industry output, this framework aims to support the expansion of the quantum economy across the state.
The creation of “Quantum Innovation Zones” is one of the main mechanisms the law introduces. More than one city or county may combine to form these zones. It is their responsibility to pinpoint certain initiatives and plans that will make the most use of both public and private funds in order to foster the growth of the quantum computing economy and, ultimately, generate employment.
To further boost quantum research and innovation, Governor Newsom pledged a $4 million budgetary contribution in addition to the legislative action.
UC Berkeley: The Quantum Launchpad
Recognized as one of California’s major centers for quantum research, UC Berkeley hosted the signing ceremony.
With the words, “Berkeley is thrilled and honored to be the launchpad for ‘Quantum California,’” Chancellor Rich Lyons conveyed gratitude and highlighted the science’s potential to advance fields like drug discovery, cybersecurity, scientific simulations, new materials, and other massive computing problems.
A “Quantum Nexus,” which will open in the autumn in the former Masonic Temple in downtown Berkeley, is another example of how UC Berkeley is leveraging its current strength. It is intended to serve as a collaborative place for scientists, students, industry executives, and policymakers interested in quantum physics. The Challenge Institute for Quantum Computation, funded by the National Science Foundation and coordinating research and education efforts across academic powerhouses such as UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, Caltech, Stanford, and soon the California State University system, will be a key component of the Quantum Nexus’s state-wide leadership.
Establishing quantum information as “the engine for the next major technical revolution” is crucial, both in California and internationally, Lyons emphasized.
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A Tour of Future Technology
Governor Newsom visited Campbell Hall, which houses many campus labs devoted to quantum computing, and spoke with reporters while touring three of the facilities. The chair of the department of physics, Irfan Siddiqi, gave Newsom a tour of his facility.
A sample quantum processor, measuring about a centimeter on one side and containing perhaps a dozen “qubits,” the basic quantum bits used in quantum computers, was given to the governor by Siddiqi.
Collaboration encouraged by the measure might create a “Quantum Valley,” similar to Silicon Valley, according to Siddiqi, whose research focuses on solid-state qubits. He pointed out that by utilizing the state’s vast resources, the law reduces obstacles for businesses to stay in California.
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In Professor of Physics Dan Stamper-Kurn’s lab, Newsom also learnt about the difficulties in creating quantum systems, specifically the necessity of cooling single-atom qubits to a just 10 millionths of a degree above absolute zero. “Science fiction is now real,” Stamper-Kurn told the Governor, summarizing the swift progress.
The “next generation of quantum computers” is what materials scientist Alp Sipahigil highlighted in his study. Sipahigil emphasized that in order to prepare a future quantum workforce capable of chip design and quantum mechanics concepts, new courses combining physics and engineering are required.
Defining the Quantum Shift
Computing is only one aspect of the quantum economy. Applications like secure telecommunications and innovative sensors that take advantage of the quantum nature of light and particles are included in the quantum economy, even though quantum computers use entangled quantum bits (qubits) to execute calculations that are not conceivable for conventional digital computers.
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