Quantum symmetric algebras (or noncommutative polynomial rings) arise in many
places in mathematics. In this article we find the multiplicative structure of
their Hochschild cohomology when the coefficients are in an arbitrary bimodule
algebra. When this bimodule algebra is a finite group extension (under a
diagonal action) of a quantum symmetric algebra, we give explicitly the graded
vector space structure. This yields a complete description of the Hochschild
cohomology ring of the corresponding skew group algebra.
We introduce a finiteness property for braided fusion categories, describe a
conjecture that would characterize categories possessing this, and verify the
conjecture in a number of important cases. In particular we say a category has
F if the associated braid group representations factor over a finite group, and
suggest that categories of integral Frobenius-Perron dimension are precisely
those with property F.