The end of November in Bratislava is traditionally marked by one of the most significant technology conferences in the region, and this year was no exception. From November 25th to 27th, the Hotel Crowne Plaza hosted the Autumn ITAPA 2025, bringing together experts in digitalization and government innovation. The real draw for us was the conversation surrounding the safety of our digital infrastructure and postquantum technology. The Decent Cybersecurity team, including Pavol Adámek, Daniela Pavlakovičová, and Michal Balík, was engaging with industry leaders, but the highlight was the participation of our COO in the panel discussion.
Future & (Post)Quantum Security
Our COO, Michaela Abel, took the stage as a featured speaker in a panel discussion focused on the national strategy for quantum computing and post-quantum cryptography. She was joined by Anton Jelenčiak from the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic, and Matej Týč from Red Hat. The conversation moved beyond theory into the reality of what businesses and governments face today. The core message was clear: we are operating in an unforgiving “harvest now, decrypt later” environment. Attackers are currently stealing encrypted data they cannot yet read, banking on the certainty that future quantum computers will eventually break standard encryption like RSA and ECC.
During the panel discussion, Michaela also focused on the rapidly emerging intersection of quantum computing and artificial intelligence, highlighting how this synergy will redefine scientific discovery and technological progress in the coming decade. She emphasized that while much public attention is placed on the cryptographic risks of quantum computers, the true long-term impact lies in their ability to accelerate research. Algorithms such as VQE, QAOA, Grover’s search, and quantum neural networks — not Shor’s algorithm — will drive the breakthroughs that shape the next generation of innovation.
One of her central insights was the complementary role of AI and quantum computing: AI as the intelligence, quantum computing as the physical simulation engine.
AI will generate new molecular structures, materials, and optimization strategies, while quantum computers will be capable of simulating their behavior at the level of fundamental physics. This combination will enable discoveries that are computationally impossible today. Michaela also pointed out that the field is still in the NISQ era — with hundreds or thousands of physical qubits — and that the real breakthrough will come with the development of stable logical qubits. AI is already helping accelerate this progress through circuit optimization, error-correction research, and automated quantum algorithm design. Her takeaway for the audience was clear: The future is not “AI or quantum.” The future is their synergy — a new computational paradigm that will transform medicine, materials science, climate modelling, and cybersecurity. Her contribution made it evident that we are entering an era where computation will solve problems and actively discover new knowledge, opening possibilities far beyond the limits of today’s classical systems.
The discussion emphasized that future-proofing quantum security is not a task for the future but today’s necessity. Michaela highlighted that the migration to Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) is not merely a software update but a complex overhaul of infrastructure involving certificates, hardware security modules, and communication protocols. The panel explored how organizations can navigate this transition without disrupting systems that must operate twenty-four hours a day. While the physics is complex, the management challenge is even greater. We must explain this threat to decision-makers in plain language, making them understand that waiting for a functional quantum computer before acting is a guaranteed strategy for failure. We need working and implemented strategies and solutions.
Building a Ready Ecosystem
The event also featured insights from Stella Bulejková of AKI SR regarding the protection of critical infrastructure, and Matej Týč (Red Hat), which complemented the panel’s focus on (postquantum) cryptography and critical infrastructure protection. A recurring theme throughout the conference was the need for a cohesive national strategy. The consensus was that Slovakia cannot afford a fragmented approach where different ministries and vendors adopt incompatible standards. Instead, we need a unified roadmap that integrates education, legislation, and technology.
This year at ITAPA confirmed that the cybersecurity community is ready to face these challenges head-on. As we move forward, our focus remains on helping our partners navigate these turbulent times by implementing robust PQC standards. We left the conference ready to continue our work of securing digital assets against the threats of tomorrow.
