The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) have officially released the world’s first international standard in the field of quantum computing: ISO/IEC 4879 Information Technology — Quantum Computing — Vocabulary (hereinafter referred to as the Standard). This document defines over 80 key terms in quantum computing, providing a unified language framework that facilitates accurate communication and exchange of information within the industry. The standard, which was led by a Chinese expert, marks a major milestone in the field.
Quantum computing, which uses quantum bits (qubits) as its fundamental unit and applies quantum mechanics principles to enable parallel computing, offers extraordinary storage capacity and operational speed. It has the potential to surpass the limits of classical computing in solving complex computational problems. As such, quantum computing is of global strategic importance due to its potential impact on national security, economy development, and scientific research. In 2021, quantum computing entered the NISQ (Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum) era, characterized by a diversity of technical approaches and the formation of an industrial chain that includes equipment manufacturing, chip production, computer development, and software research.
As the quantum computing industry evolves rapidly, the need for standardization has increased significantly. Terminology standards, in particular, play a foundational role in defining and standardizing the concepts used within a specific field. To support industry development, the Standard outlines the most commonly used terms in quantum computing. The project was initiated in June 2020 under the Quantum Information Technology Working Group (ISO/IEC JTC 1/WG 14), with a Chinese expert from the China Electronics Standardization Institute (CESI) serving as the chief editor. Experts from 10 countries, including the U.S., U.K., and Australia, contributed to its development. Over the course of four years, the team processed 3,000 technical opinions from various countries.
Quantum computing is just one aspect of the broader quantum technology landscape. Earlier this year, the IEC and ISO established the Joint Technical Committee on Quantum Technologies (IEC/ISO JTC 3 Quantum Technologies), tasked with standardizing the entire field of quantum technologies. This includes quantum computing, quantum simulation, quantum metrology, quantum communications, quantum sources, detectors, and other fundamental quantum technologies. Quantum technology has been a priority for China, as outlined in the Implementation Plan for the Leading Engineering of Standardization in New Industries (2023-2035), underscoring its strategic significance in future technological advancements.
