Italy's antitrust authority announced on Tuesday the start of a fact-finding inquiry into the quantum computing sector, flagging potential competitive risks tied to market concentration, technological lock-in and the expanding role of global cloud providers in determining access to quantum services.
The regulator said quantum technology - which can deliver processing speeds far beyond conventional machines - has the potential to touch all parts of the economy and, citing consultancy analysis, could be worth trillions of dollars within the next decade. In its statement, the authority emphasized that the sector's characteristics may create vulnerabilities to reduced competition.
Key areas of concern identified by the authority include the large capital sums required to develop quantum systems, a rapidly growing patent landscape and a dependence on proprietary hardware and software. The regulator warned that those conditions could advantage a small set of dominant firms rather than foster a broadly competitive market.
Regulators specifically pointed to the role of major cloud providers, described in the statement as "hyperscalers," which have begun to incorporate quantum computing capabilities into their service platforms. The authority said that those cloud firms could extend their existing market power into the emergent quantum field, potentially shaping access and terms for customers.
The inquiry will solicit perspectives from industry participants. The regulator did not name any companies in its announcement, while noting that several large technology firms - including Alphabet, Amazon and Microsoft - are among the major investors in quantum computing efforts.
The authority also described a sharp increase in filings of quantum-related patents, noting that this surge outpaces filings in other technological areas. It characterized the trend as a form of global "tech pre-emption" that may harm market contestability. In addition, the regulator said it will monitor early-stage acquisitions of quantum start-ups for competition risks, pointing out that the number of such start-ups in Italy has been rising.
Procedurally, the inquiry sets an input deadline of April 30 for stakeholders to submit contributions on market structure, competitive dynamics, intellectual property, consolidation trends and strategic dependency issues. The authority expects to finalise the inquiry by December 31.
The regulator's review is framed as a fact-finding exercise rather than an enforcement action. It aims to gather evidence and views to assess whether the sector's current trajectory could hinder contestability and access as the technology develops.
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