The OECD Digital Economy Outlook (DEO) is a flagship publication that analyses trends in technology development, digital policies and digital performance in OECD countries and partner economies. The 2024 edition draws on indicators from the OECD Going Digital Toolkit, the OECD ICT Access and Usage databases and the OECD AI Policy Observatory, among other data. It also benefits from responses to the DEO Questionnaire, which provides insights into digital priorities and policies in OECD countries and partner economies.
This edition is prepared in two volumes. Volume 1 unpacks key technologies such as artificial intelligence, next generation wireless networks and immersive technologies to analyse their impacts on the economy and society. It also analyses how people, firms and governments are adopting digital technologies, offering insights into the scale and scope of digital divides and how to boost equal opportunity and inclusion. Volume 1 further provides new estimates of growth in the information and communication technology sector. Finally, it considers mental health in digital environments.
The DEO 2024 represents the collective work of staff in the Digital Economy Policy Division of the OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI). The Secretariat prepared Volume 1 under the auspices of the OECD Digital Policy Committee (DPC), chaired by Yoichi Iida (Japan). The publication has benefited from valuable comments from delegates to the DPC and its Working Parties. The DPC declassified Volume 1 content on 4 December 2023 and 15 January 2024.
Molly Lesher (Senior Economist and Unit Head) led the orientations and development of this publication with support from Elif Koksal-Oudot (Economist), under the leadership of Audrey Plonk (Deputy Director).
The authors are Camilo Umana Dajud and Nicolas Benoit (Chapter 1: “The growth outlook of the ICT sector”), Celine Caira (Chapter 2: “The future of artificial intelligence”), Alexia González Fanfalone and Bengt Mölleryd (Spotlight “Next generation wireless networks and the connectivity ecosystem”), Simon Lange and Pierre Montagnier (Chapter 3: “Digital technology diffusion and data”), Jeremy Bailenson and Molly Lesher (Chapter 4: “Virtual reality and its opportunities and risks”), and Lorena Giuberti Coutinho and Molly Lesher (Spotlight “Mental health and digital environments”).
The following OECD colleagues provided valuable input to Volume 1 in their respective areas of expertise: Simon Lange, Annabelle Mourougane, Dave Turner and Nicolas Woloszko (Chapter 1); Luis Aranda, Jamie Berryhill, Sarah Bérubé, Fabio Curi Paixao, Angélina Gentaz and Karine Perset (Chapter 2); Verena Weber (Spotlight on next generation networks); Nicolas Benoit (Chapter 3); Clarisse Girot, Lorena Giuberti Coutinho and Christian Reimsbach-Kounatze (Chapter 4); and Francesca Gottschalk, Hanna Pawelec, Christopher Prinz, Lisa Robinson and Doron Wijker (Spotlight on mental health).
The publication benefited from comments, support and input by Jerry Sheehan (Director), Jens Lundsgaard (Deputy Director), Hanna-Mari Kilpelainen (Senior Counsellor) and Gallia Daor (Advisor) of STI.
Angela Gosmann and Mark Foss provided editorial support. Andreia Furtado and Sebastian Ordelheide led the communications strategy. Julian Jaramillo, Paola Avellaneda and Diego Pinilla (Bestiario) created the data visualisations and infographics. Fabio Parmeggiani provided design support. Marion Barberis, Sarah Ferguson, Shellie Phillips and Alice Weber provided secretarial assistance.