Digitalization as a Megatrend of the International Economy

The aim of the article is to identify the contradictory nature of the impact of digitalization on the international economy. It is proved that digitalization leads to a profound transformation of the international economy. As a result of the conducted research, it has been defined that digitalization is a multidimensional and contradictory process. The directions of the impact of digitalization on the development of the international economy have been revealed. It is substantiated that the high pace of digitalization significantly exacerbates global contemporary issues, namely: raw material, environmental, and energy problems. It is shown how, in the process of digital transformation, economic and social disparities are significantly intensified, leading to uneven socioeconomic development of countries. It is verified that the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence opens unprecedented opportunities for the development of the international economy while simultaneously producing serious problems and new risks. It is further proved that digital transformation affects all components of society, making it fundamentally important to promote the achievement of sustainable development goals based on the use of advanced technologies. The urgent need for environmentally sustainable digitalization strategies has been demonstrated, highlighting the relevance of circularity, namely: the use of durable products, responsible consumption, reuse and recycling, and sustainable business models. The necessity of integrating the efforts of the State, business, science, education, and society to address global problems has been substantiated. The multiaspective nature of digitalization issues requires the scientific community to adopt an interdisciplinary approach to analyze its consequences and risks in all spheres of life activity.