Platforms: Their Structure, Benefits, and Challenges

In this chapter, we describe platforms and their structure and how that structure differs from traditional linear value chains. We then discuss some of the key economic factors, including two-sided and multi-sided network effects, which underpin both the platform value proposition and the ability to create welfare for users. Platform and technology firms have grown to the point where their market capitalizations greatly exceed oil, gas, and financial services firms. We then explore some key governance and regulatory issues, including privacy, false information, and antitrust. We conclude with a discussion of emerging issues posed by Large Language Models such as ChatGPT, including their ability to create false information at scale and disrupt creative industries.