Archer Materials (ASX: AXE), recognised as a global leader in emerging technologies, recently showcased its innovations at the World Economic Forum (WEF) conference in San Francisco. CEO Dr. Mohammad Choucair (pictured) presented on advanced manufacturing value chains, discussing the semiconductor industry, the future of quantum computing and AI, at the event attended by over 230 global leaders.

Dr. Choucair highlighted the transformative potential of cutting-edge semiconductors in the development of quantum technologies, including quantum computing, and the need to integrate within a global supply chain to fully exploit its capabilities. Central to his presentation was Archer’s strategic approaches, including its qubit processor and biochip development to drive meaningful impact on innovation. 

Archer is researching and developing qubit technology in their Australian and European labs with semiconductor foundry partners in Taiwan, Europe, and the US. This processor has the potential to facilitate the development of practical quantum computing, unlike current quantum computers that require extreme energy consumption for low temperature operation.

Presently, quantum computers are limited to large tech giants and research institutes due to their high operational costs and infrastructure footprint. Archer’s 12CQ quantum chip, however, is being developed with device integration in mind. The company’s intention was clear with its demonstration of a room-temperature quantum electron spin manipulation chip of 0.7 mm² in size, packed with advanced technology for qubit development.

As the first Australian industry representative to partner with the WEF Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR), Archer holds a unique position in the global quantum economy. The conference featured discussions on AI’s transformative potential and its integration into various technological domains.

A key initiative launched at the conference was the AI Transformation of Industries Initiative by C4IR and the WEF’s Centre for Energy and Materials. This initiative aims to manage AI’s energy demands and accelerate the energy transition.

During the WEF’s Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chains Strategy Meeting, Dr. Choucair, alongside leaders from Rockwell Automation and Aligent, emphasised the importance of digitisation, multilocal value chains, and the global talent chain, to optimise. 

Quantum technologies, including sensing, could play a critical role in processing vast amounts of data, enhancing logistics, and operations, potentially allowing factories worldwide to be operated more efficiently.

In an email to shareholders after the WEF conference, Dr. Choucair underscored the importance of resilience and global collaboration, stating, “At Archer, it is within our very nature to be resilient. The nature of our work demands that we must be global.”

Archer Materials is at the forefront of developing innovative technologies. Another key project is the company’s graphene-based biochip designed to create new capabilities in medical diagnostics by miniaturising and digitising high throughput disease detection. The core component of this “lab-on-a-chip”, a graphene transistor, was recently validated by Graphenea, a graphene foundry in Spain, which completed a manufacturing run of the cutting-edge transistor design.

The World Economic Forum’s partnership with Archer stems from its pioneering work in these high-impact areas. As global industries seek to harness the power of AI and quantum, Archer’s chip technologies could shape the future of global manufacturing and supply chains, as highlighted by Dr. Choucair’s presentation at the WEF Global Technology conference.

In his email to shareholders, Dr. Choucair also noted significant investments being made in Europe by the German government in preparation for more graphene-based technology in the semiconductor industry. He cited German start-up Black Semiconductor, which has secured US$274 million in funding, mainly from the German government, to build a production facility and hire more staff for developing its graphene-based chip technology.

“The investment shows that participants in the European semiconductor supply chain are aiming to compete with chip manufacturers across North America and Asia. The continued investment in the semiconductor sector from governments around the world also highlights the need for the technology to help secure supply chains and foster economic development,” he said.