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Strong Data Foundations Give AI Leaders an Edge in Quantum Security
Today many enterprise CIOs are managing two significant technology transformations at the same time, struggling to secure rapidly expanding artificial intelligence deployments while preparing organizations for the future threats posed by quantum computing.
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The two are often treated as separate programs, with AI demanding immediate attention while quantum readiness sits farther down the to-do list. But new research from Thales finds that the companies furthest ahead on AI security are also better prepared for quantum threats because both depend on the same foundations: data visibility, governance, encryption and adaptable infrastructure.
Nearly all respondents, 98%, said they had considered how quantum computing and AI could affect each other, with 57% saying they expect quantum computing to enhance machine learning. Another 54% said it could improve simulations of complex systems.
“AI isn’t distracting organizations from quantum. It is accelerating the need to prepare,” Todd Moore, vice president of data security products at Thales, told ISMG.
The 2026 Thales Data Threat Report: Quantum & AI Trends, conducted by 451 Research by S&P Global, surveyed 3,120 security and IT professionals across 20 countries.
Stronger Foundations Separate Leaders From Laggards
Researchers categorized survey respondents into leaders and laggards in quantum and AI. Quantum computing leaders have begun to formally explore quantum applications and technology while AI leaders are more forward-looking in AI strategies and report using AI to gain competitive advantage. Both hit data security metrics, including their ability to classify and protect data.
The study found that organizations leading in AI security reported greater visibility into their data than companies that lagged behind. Among leaders, 36% said they knew where all their data was stored, and 43% said they could classify all their data, compared with 28% and 35% of laggards respectively. AI leaders were also twice as likely to have full control over cloud encryption keys.
AI leaders were also more likely to be undertaking quantum initiatives. A third of leaders reported exploring quantum computing projects compared to 22% of laggards. Meanwhile, organizations leading in quantum were also more likely to have invested in AI-specific security controls, 89% compared with 80% of laggards.
Moore said the results reflect differences in management culture and security maturity rather than a narrow focus on either technology.
“People that are security minded and conscious in general tend to look at it from a holistic view,” he said. “They’re not solving one problem. They’re solving a bigger problem, and they put all the basic security safeguards in place. Now they’re extending that out to the next use case, which is quantum.”
Those safeguards include data discovery, encryption, monitoring and the ability to change cryptographic technologies as threats evolve.
Quantum Readiness Must Move Faster
The threat that data stolen today could be decrypted in the future, known as “harvest now, decrypt later,” is the top quantum concern for 61% of respondents, but many put preparation on timelines Moore said are not ideal.
The survey found that 59% of respondents said their primary planned quantum security measure was to prototype or evaluate post-quantum cryptographic algorithms during the next 18 to 24 months.
“I would say that a lot of folks are late, absolutely,” Moore said. Waiting until 2028 to begin evaluating post-quantum technology could leave little time for implementation, particularly in organizations with complex legacy environments where cryptography is embedded across systems.
The migration will not be as simple as installing a new algorithm, Moore said.
Post-quantum algorithms can require larger keys and signatures, more memory and additional processing capacity. Turning them on may affect network latency, packet sizes and application performance. Existing VPNs, proxies, load balancers and authentication systems may need to be upgraded or reconfigured, he said.
“Today we use ECDSA, tomorrow we use ML-DSA. We just flip a switch; it’ll be fine,” Moore said. “What we’re finding, and I think what CISOs are realizing, is, ‘Oh my gosh, I need more power. I need more memory. I need more size.'”
Crypto agility, therefore, is more than just a simple software swap, Moore said.
“Crypto agility is not just about the algorithms,” he said. “The algorithms that we’ve come up with today will change. The algorithms will fail. There’ll be new algorithms. You have to be able to change the algorithms, but also those protocols and certificates.”
Among organizations exploring or experimenting with quantum computing, 13% said they were ahead of schedule on certificate life cycle management, while 31% were behind. By comparison, 18% were ahead on public key infrastructure and 20% were ahead on enterprise key management.
What CIOs and CISOs Should Do Now
For technology leaders, Moore had a simple message.
“Quantum is coming. It’s going to be here before you know it. You need to prepare now,” he said.
The first step is knowing where critical data lives, and making sure teams know where data sources are so that they can be protected. Technology teams should then inventory where cryptography is used across applications, cloud environments, networks, identity systems, code-signing processes and vendor products. They should also ask cloud, networking, security and software providers for their migration timelines and identify products that may not support new standards.
Few security leaders are receiving entirely new budgets for quantum preparation, Moore said. Instead, organizations are consolidating security tools, eliminating overlapping capabilities and using AI to automate work such as cryptographic discovery. The goal is to identify vulnerable algorithms, protocols and certificates without creating another isolated security program.
“This isn’t just a one-off. It really is something you have to plan for and prepare for, and it has to happen sooner rather than later,” Moore said.
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