Digital Economy Dispatches
News and views on the digital economy by Alan Brown.
Written by
Alan Brown
Connect
Nov 8, 2026
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3 min read
AI's biggest effect may be the gaps it opens. Attacks now outpace fixes, code outpaces review, reports outpace checking, and beginners struggle to gain experience. Leaders should find their slowest step and close it.
Nov 1, 2026
4 min read
Ethan Mollick's Co-Existence is the clearest guide I've read on working alongside fast-improving AI. Read it for its description of AI's jagged frontier, how to use AI effectively, and when not to. He offers a positive position on the human-AI relationship while reminding us about the wild ride ahead.
Oct 25, 2026
5 min read
The UK counts who uses AI well, but not what AI changes. Five areas, from access to impact, show where the evidence runs out and how organisations can see further.
Oct 18, 2026
We're all feeling overwhelmed by AI. The responsible response is neither denial nor panic. Instead, sort real risks from speculative ones, focus on what you can control, and keep flying the plane.
Oct 11, 2026
What am I worth? AI makes that question unavoidable. Professional services have priced hours, not value; now clients want AI’s savings passed on, and advisers must explain what they sell.
Oct 4, 2026
Academic evidence on AI adoption is rigorous but narrow. Practice evidence is broad but harder to test. The most useful lessons lie where they meet.
Sep 27, 2026
7 min read
We have moved from seeing pilot trials of Microsoft Copilot to organisation-wide deployment in under two years. The evidence underneath that journey has not travelled nearly as far.
Sep 20, 2026
A few thoughts on Cory Doctorow, Carissa Véliz and Joseph Stiglitz exploring why the AI future is being decided rather than arriving, and what that means for your next business case.
Sep 13, 2026
6 min read
The recent appearance of unsupervised AI "dark software factories" misreads both dark kitchens and the 1990s software factory movement. Agile delivery is the better starting point for putting AI to work.
