Dispatch from Digital Planet: December 2025

Dispatches

Dispatch from Digital Planet: December 2025

December 23, 2025

Digital Planet > Dispatches > Dispatch from the Digital Planet: December 2025

2025: THE YEAR OF VARIABLES

2025 marked a watershed moment for AI adoption, bringing critical questions about data governance, privacy protection, environmental sustainability, and digital transformation to the forefront. In this year's closing Dispatch, we revisit our most significant research, thought leadership contributions, and the change our team has driven.

FLAGSHIP RESEARCH

DIGITAL EVOLUTION INDEX 2025

From the Covid shock to AI surge: How 125 digital economies around the world are evolving and changing

We examined the state of digitalization across 125 economies to find that the post-COVID surge is losing steam. While some hotspots are keeping up the pace, major economies are slowing down. The emergence of AI proves to be a key differentiator in the days to come.

THE “BURN-TO-EARN” INDEX

The global digital economy's economic and environmental impact and tradeoffs

The AI boom is fueling digital expansion. We created the Burn-to-Earn Index to identify which economies are maximizing digital output while minimizing their environmental impact. We also examine the measures that economies are taking to strike a balance between digital growth and ecological responsibility.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Our team shared insights from our research through authored articles, podcast interviews, conference presentations, and public events. Here are some highlights from this year's engagements.

How diplomats and governments build trust in AI

The State of the Digital Planet and Implications for DPI, AI Adoption and Sustainable Development

What is “small AI" and Why Does it Matter for Developing Economies?

How Companies Can Mitigate the Harms of AI-Driven Inequality

How to make AI more useful

Where Viksit Bharat meets green growth

Can AI become your startup co-founder?

Building Systems to Create Jobs

STRONGER TOGETHER

Every milestone this year was built on collective effort. Our team's ideas, persistence, and willingness to step in when it mattered made the difference. We're grateful for the enthusiasm, skill, and dedication each person brings to our work. Here's to another year of rigorous analysis and impact.

CORE RESEARCH TEAM

Abidemi Adisa

Bhaskar Chakravorti

Christina Filipovic

Iris Niu

2025 ANALYSTS AND FELLOWS

Anna Iskenderian

Elise Torché

Ishika Gupta

Juliana Alscher

Manashi Pandit

Max Agigian

Mitakshi Lakhani

Muhammed Anwar

Patraphan Lapanun

Shubhangi Thakur

Turan Tashkin

Tvisha Gupta

Uddyalok Chakraborty

Utsav Subramani

Veeradittya Podder

JOIN THE TEAM

Research Analyst

Modeling and Forecasting

ABOUT DIGITAL PLANET

Digital Planet is an interdisciplinary research initiative of The Fletcher School's Institute for Business in the Global Context (IBGC) dedicated to understanding the impact of digital innovation on the world and providing actionable insights for policymakers, businesses, investors, and innovators.

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AI and jobs, AI data center boom, AI economic impact, Artificial Intelligence, artificial intelligence policy, Bhaskar Chakravorti, digital innovation research, digital planet 2025, Dispatches from the Digital Planet, global digital transformation, inclusive digital policy, Inclusive Policy, United States

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