In the early years of the ICT revolution, during the flat part of the exponential curve, progress seemed interesting but limited in its applications.

ECONOMIST: Economics Focus

The process that Cowen describes would produce a gradual bend in the curve of progress, not the sudden change in slope that actually occurred.

FORBES: Memo To Tyler Cowen: A Lack Of New Ideas Is Not The Problem

One of the things that he's talked about, Wendell, is ensuring that we're making progress on health care reform as a way of bringing that deficit down, and changing the curve on our health care spending through Medicare and Medicaid.

WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing

That concept isn't really compelling to the masses until one focuses on the "knee" of this exponential curve -- the point where the perpetual doubling of technological growth skyrockets and negates the linear models of progress that people like economists have relied on for so long.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS