Dual-use, quantum technologies, and responsible innovation: the challenges of responsible quantum in defence

Abstract The development of novel technologies does not take place in a moral, economic, or geopolitical vacuum. Therefore, questions of funding, use-cases, and contexts of use will directly influence both moral and practical judgements around the ways in which these technologies are, or should be, developed and deployed. This article examines the growth of Quantum Technologies (QTs) in light of these challenges, and the ways in which they are already raising concerns with respect to questions of ‘dual-use’. The article argues that ‘dual-use’ as a category is inadequate for normative judgement as it conflates moral evaluation with a descriptive classification, and therefore misses important contextual and procedural elements. The article proposes making Responsible Innovation (RI) frameworks integral to the development of QTs in order to enable context-sensitive ethical assessment and decision-making guidance. Finally, the article proposes a way forward that engages with the principle-based concerns of those critical of military uses of QTs, while respecting the challenges posed by current geopolitical realities.