The internet was once understood mainly as a communications network. Today it is also a production system. Cloud computing, logistics software, digital payments, sensors and automated decision tools connect physical activity to data at a scale that would have been difficult to imagine a generation ago.
This creates enormous productivity opportunities. A small firm can buy computing power on demand, reach customers across borders, and automate routine processes without owning a large technical infrastructure. But concentration also matters: a handful of platforms can become critical gateways for commerce and information.
The central issue is therefore institutional. Digital infrastructure needs competition, security, redundancy and transparent rules. The internet is no longer just something people use; it is part of the machinery through which economies operate.