A film crew accompanied me the other day to a company working in quantum. The creative director, of course, made a joke about the Ant Man movies. Makes sense, because for most of us that is the introduction and extent of our quantum understanding. When you hear the word “atom,” it is a term most have not thought of since a high school chemistry course. But, in the Centennial State, it is just the beginning as these building blocks of life are increasingly harnessed by scientists and technologists to power breakthroughs in quantum science, fundamentally redefining the way we process and compute information and more. Though a topic foreign to most of us, it’s the reality for Coloradans who have ushered in this new technological revolution.

So how does it work? Rather than using bits, such as ones and zeroes, quantum computing wields quantum bits or qubits, which can simultaneously operate as a zero and a one. This gives quantum computers exponentially more power to assist with everything from drug discovery to climate modeling. Such power offers the opportunity to transform industries and advance American competitiveness across several critical sectors.

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Colorado is at the forefront of this innovation. Thanks to our leading academic institutions and the multi-million-dollar investments made by state leaders like Gov. Jared Polis, Colorado has positioned itself as the clear leader in quantum computing. Recognizing and rewarding these efforts, the Biden administration recognized Colorado as one of the few Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (tech hubs), bringing in millions more in investment.

These investments, matched by the leaps in innovation made by Colorado’s quantum community, are a boon for our state’s economy. The industry has already created 3,000 jobs in our state and, armed with the new federal designation, is primed to produce upward of 30,000 jobs in the next 10 years alone. Beyond jobs, making our state the global leader in quantum computing could create more than $1 billion in economic impact for our state, particularly with new applications in artificial intelligence, finance and more. Not only does that mean the quantum industry will create plenty of new opportunities for Coloradans, but its integration with AI and other leading industries and applications means cutting-edge companies have more incentive to establish themselves here — fueling the jobs of tomorrow.

Though our state has established itself as a hotbed of tech innovation, misguided policymaking threatens to upend this competitive advantage. Just before the conclusion of the 2024 legislative session, Colorado state lawmakers rushed through Senate Bill 24-205, creating a sweeping, unprecedented regulatory regime around AI that drew the ire of Colorado’s innovators, small businesses and even Gov. Polis himself.

In their criticisms, they recognized the dangers of lumping the increasingly diverse and ever-evolving field of AI into a one-size-fits-all approach. Moreover, beyond the harm this law imposes on the AI industry itself, it also raises serious red flags for Colorado’s progress in quantum computing — limiting the tools researchers use to explore its capabilities while impairing the emerging fusion of quantum processing and AI.

At a time when Colorado is leading the pack in strategically critical technologies like quantum and AI, lawmakers must urgently address the deeply concerning flaws in SB 24-205. If we don’t, we risk jeopardizing perhaps the most promising engine for economic growth our state has seen in a generation.

Jansen Tidmore is president and chief executive of the Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation. The Jeffco EDC knows access to quality jobs is the cornerstone to a healthy community and works every day to provide its residents with those opportunities.