The U.S. touts its digital dominance—but it lags behind many other countries

The United States has a well-developed digital economy, accounting for around 18% of its total economy, which is above the global average of 15%. The International Data Center Authority (IDCA) defines a digital economy as all economic activities reliant on or significantly enhanced by digital technologies. The IDCA's Global Digital Economy Report ranks nations based on their digital economy development, with only six nations, including Finland and Switzerland, in the advanced phase. The US is not among the advanced nations, but rather in the significantly developed phase, lagging behind Canada, France, and Germany in sustainable energy, income parity, and strong government institutions. The country needs to create a national strategy, build more sustainable energy, focus on workforce development, and ensure smart buildouts to improve its standing. Despite being the world's largest economy, the US needs to judge itself by its own standards and work harder to deliver on its potential.