Digital economy and technology

Data insights

The rapid advancement of digital technologies has transformed economies and reshaped the way businesses, governments and individuals interact globally. The digital economy, driven by innovation, connectivity and technological disruption, plays a pivotal role in shaping economic growth, productivity and societal change. This collection of thematic insights explores key aspects of the digital economy and technology, offering a comprehensive understanding of its evolving landscape.

Brazil, China, India and the Philippines top performers in technology readiness

Correlation between technology readiness index score and GDP per capita, 2023

UN Trade and Development, UNCTADstat , based on data from Scopus.

GDP per capita is in current international dollars, purchasing power parity (logarithm).

The frontier technologies readiness index indicates that countries with higher per capita GDP are generally better prepared for frontier technologies. 

Nevertheless, some countries exceed expectations based on their income levels, such as Brazil, China, India and the Philippines. They stand out among developing countries, outperforming their GDP per capita rankings by significant margins: India by 76 places, China and the Philippines by 49 places each, and Brazil by 41 places.

Data updated on 18 Jul 2025

The frontier technologies readiness index correlates positively with the number of AI publications

Correlation between index score and knowledge generation in AI, 2023

UN Trade and Development, UNCTADstat , based on data from Scopus.

Number of AI-related scientific articles in 2023 (logarithm).

The frontier technologies readiness index is strongly associated with the generation of scientific knowledge in AI.

Countries above the regression line produce more AI publications than might be expected by their index score. For example, China, Germany, India, the United Kingdom and the United States show scientific strength in the field of AI.

Data updated on 18 Jul 2025