This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
Alphabet (GOOGL, Financials) has offered new details on why it chose not to participate in the Trump administration’s $2 billion quantum computing initiative, despite growing competition between the U.S. and China in the emerging technology.
Speaking at the Semafor Tech Summit, Google Quantum AI COO Charina Chou said the company passed on the funding because some of the attached conditions would have limited its ability to move at the pace it believes is necessary to develop practical quantum computing systems.
While Google did not disclose the specific requirements tied to the program, Chou emphasized that the company continues to work with government agencies in other areas and supports broader investment in basic quantum research.
The decision stood out because several major industry players, including IBM, GlobalFoundries, Rigetti Computing, PsiQuantum and Infleqtion, joined the initiative. Microsoft and IonQ were also absent from the list of funding recipients.
For investors, the announcement underscores Google’s confidence in its own quantum roadmap and financial resources. Rather than relying on government funding, the company appears focused on maintaining flexibility as the race to build commercially viable quantum computers accelerates.
