The Digital Economy: An Integrated Production and Governance System (Infrastructure, Data, AI, Platforms)

Apuntes

The Digital Economy as an Integrated System of Infrastructure, Data, Artificial Intelligence, and Institutional Governance 1. Introduction Digital transformation has evolved into a structural reconfiguration of contemporary economic systems. Rather than representing a discrete technological shift, the digital economy operates as an interconnected ecosystem in which digital infrastructure, data, artificial intelligence (AI), digital business models, platforms, labor dynamics, and institutional governance co-evolve. However, much of the academic literature examines these elements in isolation (focusing separately on broadband adoption, AI productivity eCects, or platform competition) without embedding them into a unified theoretical architecture. Policy frameworks developed by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Bank conceptualize digital transformation as a layered system comprising infrastructure, data, digital skills, platforms, and governance (OECD, 2024; World Bank, 2021). Yet these institutional frameworks are not systematically integrated with established economic theory. This document presents a comprehensive explanation of the conc...