Digitalization is the complex socio-technical process involving the transformation of existing analog or physical processes, information, and objects into digital formats, driven by the adoption and integration of digital technologies. As an academic concept and research field, it investigates the mechanisms, characteristics, and pervasive consequences of this transformation, including the generation and utilization of digital data, the re-engineering of systems, and the emergence of new organizational forms and societal interactions across diverse domains, highlighting its significance in fundamentally reshaping economies, governance, and social practices.