Toward Quantum Runtime Governance: Execution Invariants and Governance Requirements for Quantum and Hybrid Quantum Systems

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Authors: John Willis
Cited by: 2

Abstract

Existing artificial intelligence governance and runtime execution governance frameworks were developed primarily within classical computing environments. While autonomous and agentic systems have introduced new governance challenges, most governance architectures continue to rely upon assumptions regarding deterministic execution, reproducibility, authorization validity, and auditability. Quantum and hybrid classical-quantum systems introduce execution characteristics that challenge these assumptions. Probabilistic measurement, circuit compilation and transpilation, hardware-dependent execution behavior, calibration drift, shot-based execution, hybrid computational workflows, and emerging distributed quantum architectures create governance obligations not fully addressed by existing execution-governance models. This paper proposes an extension of execution-layer governance into quantum environments through the introduction of Quantum Runtime Governance Invariants and corresponding Quantum Governance Requirements. The proposed invariants identify governance properties that must remain true regardless of implementation details, hardware platforms, programming models, or execution environments. These invariants are explicitly tied to governance properties including authorization integrity, admissibility integrity, provenance continuity, governance evidence integrity, replayability, governance continuity, and governance authority. The paper further introduces the concept of Probabilistic Admissibility, in which governance systems evaluate and authorize bounded outcome distributions rather than deterministic outcomes. Building upon this foundation, the paper derives a structured set of Quantum Governance Requirements spanning quantum resource governance, circuit governance, compilation governance, probabilistic outcome governance, shot governance, calibration governance, hybrid classical-quantum governance, quantum artificial intelligence governance, and distributed quantum governance. Finally, the paper examines the implications of these concepts for the Artificial Intelligence Governance Control Plane (AGCP), arguing that quantum systems do not require a fundamentally new governance architecture. Rather, they require an extension of existing execution-governance semantics capable of operating over probabilistic execution environments. The resulting framework establishes an initial foundation for AGCP-Quantum profiles, governance conformance assessment methodologies, registry assessment frameworks, governance assurance models, and future standards development activities.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Quantum Computing Algorithms and Architecture Distributed systems and fault tolerance Scientific Computing and Data Management

Publication details

Journal / source
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Publication date
4 June 2026
Document type
Preprint