AI, Quantum R&D Funding to Remain a Priority Under Biden

In August, the Trump administration said it was on track to meet its commitment of roughly doubling nondefense research and development spending on AI and quantum information sciences between 2020 and 2022. The White House in February outlined a plan for annual spending on AI to rise to more than $2 billion between 2020 and 2022, and funding for quantum information science to increase to $860 million over that period. Quantum information science is an area of study that includes quantum-based cryptography, communication and quantum computing. "Both parties realize we need to be competitive in these areas," said Ray Wang, an analyst with Constellation Research Inc., a research and advisory firm. The Biden administration is expected to invest more money in AI and quantum information science, in part because overall spending on research and development is expected to be higher, said Robert D. Atkinson, president of the ITIF.