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Mauritz Kop Expert at Eric Schmidt backed von Neumann Commission

Stanford, CA – Mauritz Kop, the Frm. Founding Executive Director of the Stanford Center for Responsible Quantum Technology (RQT), has accepted an invitation to serve as an expert on The von Neumann Commission. The announcement, made on February 1, 2025, positions Kop to contribute to a critical global dialogue at the intersection of quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and grand strategy. The Oxford-based, independent research commission is backed by the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation and other key institutions. The von Neumann Commission’s inquiry will be multifaceted, addressing the core technical prospects for quantum acceleration, its strategic implications for the global balance of power, the risks to strategic stability, and the necessary governance frameworks to ensure responsible development. The Commission's investigation is set against the backdrop of a new technological paradigm—the convergence of quantum and AI—and is informed by the historical legacy of its namesake, the strategic vision of its sponsors, and the vital perspectives of its experts.

The Quantum-AI Convergence: A New Technological Paradigm

At the heart of The von Neumann Commission's inquiry is the powerful synergy between quantum computing and artificial intelligence. This convergence is not merely additive; it is a cross-pollination that promises to redefine the boundaries of both fields. To understand this, one must first grasp the fundamental difference between classical and quantum computation.

Classical computers, from supercomputers to smartphones, process information using bits, which can exist in one of two definite states: 0 or 1. Quantum computing, by contrast, operates on the principles of quantum mechanics. It uses qubits, which can exist in a state of superposition—representing both 0 and 1 simultaneously. This property, combined with entanglement, where the state of one qubit is instantly correlated with another regardless of distance, allows quantum computers to explore a vast computational space and perform parallel calculations on an exponential scale.

Professor Kop’s Expertise as a von Neumann Commissioner

As a Commission expert, Professor Kop will contribute a multidisciplinary perspective grounded in his extensive research on the law, ethics, societal impact, and policy of quantum and AI. Professor Kop has advised numerous governments and international organizations on their quantum technology strategies, including the United States (notably the Department of State on its quantum foreign policy, U.S. Senators on quantum governance, and as a Guest Professor at the US Air Force Academy), Canada, the United Kingdom, and The Netherlands, as well as multilateral institutions such as the World Economic Forum (WEF), UNESCO, CERN, and the OECD. He has also provided expert guidance to the European Union on landmark AI legislation, including the EU AI Act and the Data Act. His specific contributions to The von Neumann Commission will draw from his expertise in:

● Geostrategy, Democracy, and Authoritarianism: Analyzing the strategic struggle between democratic and authoritarian models of technology governance. This includes his work in Foreign Policy and the Stanford-Vienna Transatlantic Technology Forum on forming a strategic tech alliance among democratic nations and his lectures at institutions like the Hoover Institution on the impact of quantum technologies on the global balance of power.

● Comparative Regulatory and Innovation Models: Analyzing the legal and policy differences between the US, EU, and China. His scholarship, including his "Ten principles for responsible quantum technology" in IOP Quantum Science and Technology, his “Establishing a Legal-Ethical Framework for Quantum Technology” at Yale University, and foundational articles at Harvard Berkman Klein and Nature, dissects these competing models and provides a crucial framework for navigating global strategic competition.

● China’s Quantum and AI Strategy: Providing in-depth analysis of China's legal, ethical, and policy landscape for quantum technologies. This includes evaluating the country's national strategy, its approach to dual use civil-military fusion, its influence on U.S. and E.U. national and economic security through China’s Digital Silk Road Initiative, and its comparative strengths and weaknesses in the global technology race, as analyzed in his “Towards an Atomic Agency for Quantum-AI” scholarship at the European Commission’s Futurium.

● National and Economic Security: Examining the role of export controls, rare earth and critical mineral supply chain vulnerability as published at the Stanford Program on Geopolitics, Technology, and Governance at CISAC / FSI, intellectual property law as published at Berkeley and the Max Planck Institute, and cybersecurity in managing the geostrategic dimensions of quantum technology. His work in these areas, including his contributions to forums like Tel Aviv University's Cyber Week, provides critical insights into protecting strategic assets.

● Standards and Governance: Contributing to the development of robust standards, certification protocols, and performance benchmarks to ensure the safety, reliability, and ethical implementation of these powerful technologies, drawing from lessons from nuclear governance, and from his conferences and seminars at Stanford, Fordham Law, Arizona State, Copenhagen, the Center for Quantum Networks (CQN) and the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) in Waterloo.

By integrating these insights, Kop will aid the Commission in formulating a holistic understanding of the challenges pertaining to systemic rivalry and great power competition ahead.

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Think Tank, Stanford RQT, GovernanceMauritz Kop1 februari 2025von Neumann Commission, Eric Schmidt, Quantum-AI, Great Power Rivalry, Geostrategic Competition, Game Theory, Law, Ethics, Policy, Philosophy, Stanford RQT, Harvard, Yale, Oxford, Mauritz Kop

Scarcity, Regulation, and the Abundance Society Roundtable at Stanford Law

In 2022, Mauritz Kop had the honor of contributing a chapter to the book project "Scarcity, Regulation, and the Abundance Society," a special volume of Frontiers in Research edited by two leading minds in technology law, Professor Mark Lemley of Stanford Law School and Professor Deven Desai of Georgia Institute of Technology. The project culminates years of research and dialogue, including a memorable and insightful roundtable held at Stanford Law School.

The central inquiry of the project is to explore how our legal and economic institutions, which are fundamentally built on scarcity, should respond as "technologies of abundance" make scarcity a thing of the past in many industries. As new technologies like AI, 3D printing, and synthetic biology democratize and disrupt production, the book examines whether we will try to legally replicate scarcity or reorder our society to focus on things other than scarcity.

The "Abundance and Equality" Chapter Edited by Mark Lemley

His chapter, titled "Abundance and Equality," was edited by Mark Lemley and connects the concepts of good governance and the end of scarcity by unifying equality with technology-driven abundance. The piece introduces the Equal Relative Abundance (ERA) principle—a post-Rawlsian framework for distributive justice designed for an age of abundance.

The ERA principle builds on John Rawls's "difference principle" but integrates desert-based critique, arguing that unequal rewards for contributions (due to hard work, talent, or entrepreneurial spirit) are justified only to the extent that they also improve the position of the least advantaged members of society. The chapter examines how ten key exponential technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution—including AI, quantum technology, and biotechnology—are the primary drivers of this shift from scarcity to abundance. It critically analyzes our existing scarcity-based institutions, particularly property and intellectual property law, and posits that we must begin experimenting with hybrid systems that mix the best of forward-thinking socialist and ethical post-capitalist paradigms, built on a foundation of participatory democracy.

Mauritz Kop Presents Book Chapter at 2022 Stanford Law’s Abundance Roundtable

On April 22, 2022, the project's contributors gathered for a roundtable workshop at Stanford Law School. The event provided a forum for a deeply interdisciplinary group of scholars to present their work and engage in a robust dialogue about the future of our society. The format consisted of short 8-10 minute presentations followed by 20 minutes of discussion, fostering a rich exchange of ideas.

A Convergence of Post-Scarcity Presentations and Discussions

During his session, Kop presented the core arguments from his "Abundance and Equality" chapter, outlining the tension between technology-driven abundance and the persistent reality of inequality for many across the globe. He introduced the ERA principle as a moral and political guide for distributing the benefits and burdens of our increasingly abundant future.

The roundtable featured a breadth of perspectives. Vivek Wadhwa discussed solving humanity's grand challenges, while Funmi Arewa explored the scarcity of opportunity within the digital economy. Zahr Said and Joshua Fairfield tackled the creation of artificial scarcity through intellectual property and the legal status of virtual property in the age of NFTs, respectively. Shane Greenstein of Harvard Business School offered insights on supply chains and the platformization of clothing personalization. This convergence of ideas underscored the complexity of the transition ahead and the need for holistic solutions.

Musical Interlude: A Spontaneous Translation of Ideas

The roundtable was a stimulating intellectual affair, filled with rigorous debate. During lunch break, celebrating the occasion, Mauritz Kop sat down at the piano in the Stanford Faculty Lounge and performed a brief impromptu musical interlude. It was a personal endeavour to translate the abstract and often-dense themes of our discussion—the post-scarcity economy, abundance, equality, and the human condition—into the universal language of music. It was an opportunity for him to share that moment with his colleagues, connecting the analytical with the artistic.

The "Scarcity, Regulation, and the Abundance Society" project is a vital and timely undertaking. The discussions at the Stanford roundtable and the resulting publications provide a critical foundation for reimagining our legal, economic, and social institutions for a new era. These forward-looking conversations are essential for ensuring that the future of technological abundance is one that fosters not new forms of inequality, but greater justice and human flourishing for all.