Report of the World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST) on the ethics of quantum computing

Within the framework of its work programme for 2024-2025, the World Commission of UNESCO on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST) decided to address the topic of the ethics of quantum computing, building on its reflection on emerging technologies and following its reports on robotics ethics (2017), on the ethical implications of the Internet of Things (2021), and its preliminary study on the ethics of artificial intelligence (2019). At the 13th (Ordinary) Session of COMEST in September 2023, the Commission established a Working Group to develop an initial reflection on this issue. The Working Group met online on several occasions in April and May 2024 to define the structure and the content of its report. The discussion of the Working Group was enriched by a private online Hearing Session on 13 May 2024 with prominent experts in the field. In preparation for the 13th (Extraordinary) Session of COMEST from 16 to 20 September 2024 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, the Working Group prepared a Concept Note providing a synopsis of its reflection thusfar, which was presented and discussed at the public and private meetings of the session.Consequently, the Working Group continued its reflection on the topic through exchanges of emails and regular online meetings. In February 2025, an external consultation with specialised experts was organized to gather written feedback and comments on the progress achieved to date in the text. In preparation for the 14th (Ordinary) Session of COMEST from 15 to 19 September 2025, two online Working Group meetings were organized in March and in June2025 to further develop the content of the report, building on the written feedback and comments received during the external consultation process. The final draft of the report was prepared during the above-mentioned online meetings and presented in the public meeting of the 14th (Ordinary) Session of COMEST. It was then revised and adopted by the Commission during the private meeting of this same Session on 17 September 2025.This document does not pretend to be exhaustive and does not necessarily represent the views of the Member States of UNESCO.