
Harvest Now, Decrypt Later: The Quantum Era's Encryption Challenge
From Disruptors by RBC Thought Leadership, John Stackhouse
February 24, 2026 · 22 min · Season 10 · Episode 4
About this episode
The episode explores the challenges and opportunities presented by quantum computing in relation to encryption and post-quantum cryptography.
Quantum computing is accelerating — and putting today’s encryption on a clock. John Stackhouse goes inside Xanadu’s Toronto lab with Christian Weedbrook to meet Aurora, a networked quantum computer built to push scale in the right direction and speaks with Photonic’s Dr. Stephanie Simmons about “harvest now, decrypt later,” fault-tolerant quantum, and why every organization needs a post-quantum cryptography (PQC) transition plan. It’s not all doom and gloom. Simmons also lays out what quantum could unlock as it scales: new possibilities in materials, chemistry, and discovery that are moving from theory toward real-world impact.
People in this episode
Host: John Stackhouse
Guests: Christian Weedbrook, Dr. Stephanie Simmons
Topics covered
- quantum computing
- encryption
- post-quantum cryptography
- technology
- innovation
Keywords
- quantum computing
- encryption
- post-quantum cryptography
- Aurora
- Xanadu
- technology
- innovation
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Xanadu, Photonic
Products: Aurora
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