Herbert A Simon quote highlights attention economy in modern digital landscape

Simon projected future information strain

The American economist Herbert A Simon argued that data serves as a resource consumed by limited human focus. He stated that increasing amounts of circulating information place greater strain on people ability to absorb content. This projection was made more than 50 years ago in a famous essay about information circulation.

Modern economy trades attention value

These early ideas established the foundation for what is now called the attention economy system. In this system human attention functions as a valuable commodity that advertisers and platforms compete to seize. Information acts as a lure designed to capture this profitable attention from users.

Data volume continues exponential rise

British mathematician Clive Humby previously described data as the new oil powering an industrial revolution. While oil supplies remain finite and scarce, the total volume of available information surges year over year. The supply of oil is limited whereas there has never been more data in circulation.