Thales Group’s Patrice Caine envisions quantum-powered aerospace sensors revolutionizing aerospace capabilities and surpassing AI in impact

The aerospace sector is on the cusp of a transformative leap, with quantum-powered sensors predicted to drive innovation and efficiency across the industry. Thales Group Chairman and CEO Patrice Caine shared these insights during the Future Investment Initiative (FII8) in Riyadh, where he highlighted the rapidly approaching “second quantum revolution.”

While artificial intelligence currently dominates the technology landscape, Caine anticipates quantum sensors could soon rival or even exceed AI’s influence within aerospace. “Quantum technology is already in motion, and discussions around it are growing,” Caine noted. “Though not as well-known as AI, it will certainly catch up—and likely surpass it in time.”

Caine clarified that Thales is primarily investing in quantum sensors and communication, rather than the more publicised field of quantum computing. These technologies, he said, hold the potential to bring a major step-change in aerospace by enhancing decision-making and sensor accuracy, critical factors in operational effectiveness. Thales aims to lead this shift, using quantum advancements to reimagine next-generation solutions in aerospace security and beyond.

Thales’ strategy for bringing quantum-powered systems into the mainstream includes moving from lab-based concepts to scalable industrial applications. “We already have proof of concept in the lab,” Caine explained. “The journey now is industrialising these early prototypes and connecting them to market demands.”

Quantum sensors, according to Caine, could increase efficiency by a staggering factor of 100, enabling a level of precision that current systems cannot achieve. Unlike incremental improvements, he emphasised, quantum technology’s impact on sensors would be transformational. “It’s revolutionary. Applying quantum properties to sensors makes them far more efficient—up to 100 times more. That’s massive.”

While quantum systems are likely to become a staple in aerospace over the next decade, AI remains central to Thales’ current offerings. The company employs nearly 600 specialists focused on symbolic, or model-based, AI—distinct from the data-driven AI familiar to the public. This approach, Caine explained, allows Thales to create premium, highly tailored products for its clients in aerospace, security, and defence.

AI, Caine believes, offers both immediate advantages and long-term competitiveness. In the short term, AI is boosting product quality and operational efficiency for Thales’ clients. Looking ahead, however, AI mastery could become a critical factor in an increasingly competitive landscape. “Either you master AI, or you don’t,” he remarked, “and if you don’t, you’ll lose ground to competitors.”

Thales, a global leader in aerospace, defence, digital identity, and security, leverages its expertise across various sectors, including air traffic management, avionics, cybersecurity, and AI. With quantum and AI at the forefront, Thales is setting the stage for a new era of advanced technologies that could redefine the industry’s future.