Global Quantum Forum

Panel Sessions & Speakers

Wednesday

Opening Remarks | 1:15 - 1:25 pm
Speakers: Gil Quiniones, CEO, ComEd; JB Pritzker, Governor of Illinois; and Nadya Mason, Dean of the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and interim Vice-President for Science, Innovation, and Partnerships at the University of Chicago

Panel 1: Quantum 101: What Everyone Needs to Know | 1:25 - 1:55 pm
Panelists: Matt Langione, Boston Consulting Group; Preeti Chalsani, SVP, Chief Quantum Officer for Illinois, Intersect Illinois; and Matt Forte, Former Chicago Bears Running Back

Wait, what exactly is quantum? This session offers a friendly, jargon-free introduction to quantum computing—what it is, what it isn’t, and why it matters beyond the lab. With the quantum market projected to grow from $1.2 billion today to as much as $850 billion by 2040, now is the time to get ahead of this transformative technology. Whether you're a policymaker, investor, founder, or just figuring out what a qubit is, this session sets the stage for why everyone should be paying attention.

Panel 2: Quantum Diplomacy: A New Global Foreign Policy Race | 1:55 - 2:40 pm
Moderator: Jennifer Scanlon, President & CEO, UL Solutions; Panelists: Jon Finer, Former Principal Deputy National Security Advisor; Sebastian Wray, Quantum Tech Specialist, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark; Ivo Daalder, Senior Fellow, Harvard’s Belfer Center; and Kathleen Hicks, Former Deputy Secretary of Defense

Quantum isn’t just a scientific race—it’s a geopolitical one. As quantum capabilities evolve, nations are grappling with their strategic, security, and economic implications. This conversation explores the emerging field of quantum diplomacy and the critical need for international cooperation before competition takes the lead.

Panel 3: Powering the Future: Quantum's Role in the Energy Transition | 2:40 - 3:25 pm
Moderator: Isis Almeida, Chicago Bureau Chief, Bloomberg; Panelists: Calvin Butler, CEO, Exelon; Darío Gil, SVP and Director of IBM Research; Kathleen Barrón, EVP & Chief Strategy and Growth Officer, Constellation Energy; and Chris Womack, President & CEO, Southern Company

Quantum technologies could become a force multiplier in the global shift to clean energy—but only if we have the resources and infrastructure to support quantum's considerable power demands. This panel explores how leaders in the energy sector are applying lessons learned from the growth of AI to plan for the emergence of quantum.

Panel 4: When Quantum Comes for the Data Center  | 3:25 - 4:10 pm
Moderator: Rashid Bashir, Dean, Grainger College of Engineering; Panelists: Michael Brett, Worldwide Go-To-Market Strategy Lead, Quantum Technologies, Amazon Web Services; Andrew Dzurak, CEO, Diraq; Alex Itkin, CTO, Optiver; Kristen Vosmaer, Managing Director, Data Centers, JLL; and Kanav Setia, CEO, qBraid

Data centers could soon be quantum data centers. This session explores how quantum-ready infrastructure could unlock vast new compute power, and what the transition means for cloud, energy, and enterprise innovation.

Panel 5: The Quantum-AI Convergence: What Happens When Machines Get Smarter | 4:10 - 5:10 pm
Moderator: Laurie Segall, CEO, Mostly Human Media; Panelists: Andrew Homan, Managing Partner, Maverick Silicon; Matthew Kinsella, CEO, Infleqtion; Dr. Toshiharu Miwa, Managing Director, Hitachi; and Sam Stanwyck, Group Product Manager, Quantum Computing, NVIDIA

Quantum and AI are two of the most powerful technologies of our time—and they’re on a convergence and collision course. This session dives into what happens when these systems work together: how AI can help accelerate quantum breakthroughs, and how quantum might eventually supercharge AI's potential. Together, these technologies may redefine what's possible—pushing the boundaries of how we compute, reason, and innovate.

Thursday

Breakfast: Launch for the National Quantum Algorithm Center (NQAC) | 8:15 - 9:15 am | Floor 4, Room 421
Panelists: Todd Duffield, Market Strategist Natural Gas, Peoples Gas; Aaron Fluitt, Senior Director, Technical Partnerships, PsiQuantum; Matt Langione, Managing Director and Partner, Global Head of Quantum, Boston Consulting Group; Shannon Liburd, Technology Strategy and Partnerships Manager, Constellation; Hanhee Paik, Director of Quantum Algorithm Centers and Quantum-Centric Supercomputing Partnerships, IBM; Ravi Ravipati, Vice President, Allstate; and Kaitlin Smith, Assistant Professor, Northwestern University

Join us in room 421 for a breakfast celebrating the launch of the National Quantum Algorithm Center (NQAC), located at the Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park (IQMP).

Panel 6: Quantum Applications and Implications for Risk and Return | 9:30 - 10:15 am
Moderator: Bobby Mehta, Chairman of the Board, JLL; Panelists: Dr. Michael Baxter, Entrust; Greg Case, CEO, AON; Jaykumar Patel, FBI Counterintelligence; and Tom Wilson, Chair, President and CEO, The Allstate Corporation

Quantum computing is no longer theoretical; it is a matter of if, not when. In this session, forward-thinking leaders share how they view the opportunities that quantum can unleash and the risks that the advent of quantum computing will bring. We will discuss how these leaders are integrating quantum into existing technologies like generative and agentic AI and their strategies for learning and implementation. Learn why engaging with quantum now matters and how it is shaping decision-making, innovation, and risk management.

Panel 7: Quantum and Human Health: Rewriting the Rules of Medicine | 10:15 - 11:00 am
Moderator: Adam Bluestein, Fast Company; Panelists: Jeremy O’Brien, CEO, PsiQuantum and Linda Ray, SVP, Business Technology Solutions, AbbVie

From decoding protein folding to designing new drugs, quantum computing could unlock insights into biology that are currently beyond reach. This session dives into how quantum is being applied to biomedical innovation and what it means for the future of health and life sciences.

Panel 8: A Conversation on Global AI and Quantum Leadership | 11:00 - 11:40 am
Moderator: Penny Pritzker, Founder & Chairman, PSP Partners; Panelist: Arvind Krishna, Chairman & CEO, IBM

In this moment of rapid technological change, leadership matters—not just in the lab, but across boardrooms and governments. This conversation explores the role of business and public sector leaders in shaping how frontier technologies like AI and quantum are deployed, governed, and scaled. What kind of leadership do we need now—and what kind will we need next?

Panel 9: Solving the Unsolvable: Quantum and Humanity's Grand Challenges | 11:40 am - 12:20 pm
Moderator: Harley Johnson, Director & CEO, IQMP; Panelists: Dr. Joe Altepeter, Program Manager, DARPA and Shana Kelley, PhD, President, CZ Biohub Chicago

We have a history of tackling grand challenges, such as the moon mission and the human genome project. Might we accelerate the development of quantum by thinking in this way? This panel explores how thinking in this way has worked in the past, examples in other fields in the present, and what it could mean for quantum in the future.

Panel 10: Location, Location, Location: The Role of Regions in Quantum Development | 1:00 - 2:00 pm | Floor 4, Room 421
Moderator: Nathan Bomey, Axios; Panelists: Allison Bambrick, Executive Director, Queensland Chief Scientist Office; Jean-Luc Cambier, Regional Innovation Officer, Chicago Quantum Exchange; Alejandra Castillo, Chancellor Senior Fellow, Purdue Northwest; Michelle Lampa, Head of Sales and Operations, North America, Pasqal; and Max Leichtman, Director, Economic and Workforce Development, ComEd

Quantum won’t be built in one place—it will emerge from a network of regional ecosystems. This panel unpacks how cities and countries are assembling their assets, coordinating across sectors, and staking out their competitive edge in the quantum economy.

Panel 11: Why Quantum Matters for National Security | 1:00 - 2:00 pm | Floor 4, Room 423
Moderator: Isabelle Bousquette, The Wall Street Journal; Panelists: Kathleen Hicks, Former Deputy Secretary of Defense; Vice Admiral Matt Kohler, Senior Counselor, The Cohen Group; Ivo Daalder, Senior Fellow, Harvard’s Belfer Center; and Nick Warner, former Director General for the Australian Office of National Intelligence

As quantum technology advances, so do the stakes for national security. This panel will explore how quantum will reshape cybersecurity, defense strategy, and global power dynamics—what governments, industries, and institutions must do now to prepare for a new security frontier.

Panel 12: Chip War 2.0: The Quantum Front
Part 1 | 2:10 - 2:40 pm
Fireside Chat: Chris Miller, Author of Chip War and Pat Gelsinger, General Partner, Playground

Part 2 | 2:40 - 3:10 pm
Moderator: Chris Miller, Author of Chip War; Panelists: Omkaram Nalamasu, CTO & SVP, Applied Materials and Dr. Steve Brierley, CEO & Founder, Riverlane

The global chip war has defined the balance of power for decades. In the first half of this session, we’ll revisit the Cold War-era semiconductor race and the geopolitical tensions it set in motion. In the second half, we’ll shift to Chip War 2.0, as quantum drives a new wave of competition around hardware, supply chains, and national advantage. What’s at stake—and how do we get ahead of it this time?

Panel 13: Democracy in the Age of Quantum + AI | 3:10 - 3:45 pm
Moderator: Ethan Bueno de Mesquita, Dean of the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago; Panelists: Dina Smeltz, VP, Public Opinion and Foreign Policy, Chicago Council on Global Affairs; and Kate Weber, Head of Governance, Google Quantum AI

For the first time, we’ll reveal what Americans really think about quantum and AI—new national polling data that has never been captured before. As emerging technologies reshape everything from elections to economies, public trust and understanding are more important than ever. This session explores the intersection of technology and democracy, revealing how citizens view these innovations—and what that means for policy, perception, and the future of public life.

Panel 14: Big Bets, Smart Money: Global Investors on What's Next | 3:45 - 4:30 pm
Moderator: John Pletz, Crain’s Chicago; Panelists: Kaushik Banerjee, Managing Director, Technology Investment Banking, Bank of America; Tony Kim, Head of Global Technology Team, Fundamental Equities, BlackRock; Martin Laforest, Managing Partner, Quantacet; and Momei Qu, Managing Director, PSP Growth

Where is global capital going—and why? Hear from leading investors on what they’re watching in quantum and AI, what excites them about deep tech, and how they’re navigating risk in a rapidly shifting frontier.

Panel 15: Scott Galloway and David Pogue: Societal Implications of Emerging Tech | 4:30 - 5:15 pm
Moderator: David Pogue, CBS News; Panelist: Scott Galloway, Professor, NYU Stern School of Business

Emerging technologies like AI and quantum promise to reshape the world, but how do they reshape us? In this fireside chat, NYU Professor and outspoken tech commentator Scott Galloway joins journalist and CBS Sunday Morning correspondent David Pogue for an unfiltered conversation about the societal implications of today’s tech revolutions. Known for their sharp analysis and ability to cut through the hype, Scott and David will explore how these innovations are impacting power structures, the economy, and the human experience—and what we should question along the way.