Globalization & the Digital Revolution
The interconnection of the world through trade, technology, and communication — from the World Wide Web to smartphones to social media.
World Wide Web Goes Public
Tim Berners-Lee makes the World Wide Web freely available, beginning the transformation of the internet from a research tool to a global platform.
Amazon and E-Commerce Emerge
Jeff Bezos founds Amazon as an online bookstore, pioneering the e-commerce model that will transform global retail.
WTO Established
The World Trade Organization begins operations, creating the rules-based framework for an explosion of global trade.
Google Founded
Larry Page and Sergey Brin launch Google, which will become the gateway to the world's information and one of the most powerful companies in history.
China Joins the WTO
China's WTO membership integrates the world's most populous nation into the global trading system, reshaping manufacturing worldwide.
Facebook Launches
Mark Zuckerberg launches Facebook from a Harvard dorm room, beginning the social media era that will reshape communication, politics, and culture.
iPhone Revolution
The iPhone debuts, catalyzing the smartphone revolution and putting powerful computers, cameras, and internet access in billions of pockets.
Instagram & the Visual Web
Instagram launches, epitomizing the shift toward visual, mobile-first social media that reshapes culture and communication.
Arab Spring & Social Media Activism
Protesters across the Middle East use Twitter and Facebook to organize, demonstrating social media's power as a tool for political mobilization.
Brexit & Populist Wave
Britain votes to leave the EU; populist movements gain ground globally, fueled partly by social media's amplification of grievance.
Remote Work Goes Mainstream
COVID-19 lockdowns force billions to work and study from home, accelerating digital transformation by a decade in months.
Generative AI Transforms Society
Large language models and generative AI burst into mainstream use, raising profound questions about work, creativity, and the future of human knowledge.