Research Evolution Timeline (1990s-2030)
Shows how digital economy scholarship moved from connectivity metrics to platform strategy, pervasive AI, and sustainability.
ICT Era
Digitisation, telecom build-out, internet access, and e-commerce foundations. Metrics focus on PC penetration, broadband adoption, and bandwidth.
Platform Era
Rise of social platforms, mobile computing, and cloud services. Research tracks network effects, data platform governance, and two-sided markets.
AI and Big Data Era
Machine learning deployment, algorithmic decision-making, automation, and large-scale analytics. Highlights ethics, bias, and digital transformation.
Sustainability and AGI Era
Green compute, circular infrastructure, planetary boundaries, and AGI preparedness define the newest research frontier.
Caption: Evolution of digital economy research paradigms over four decades