In 2013, the United States’ Bureau of Economic Analysis changed the methodology for how GDP was calculated. R&D and intellectual property were reclassified as investments rather than costs, which increased the reported size of US GDP. Countries that had more high-tech and creative industries would see a boost in GDP while countries known for manufacturing would not see such a large increase. This lead to a perception that the U.S. economy is growing faster or is larger compared to countries like China.
In 2013, the United States’ Bureau of Economic Analysis changed the methodology for how GDP was calculated. R&D and intellectual property were reclassified as investments rather than costs, which increased the reported size of US GDP. Countries that had more high-tech and creative industries would see a boost in GDP while countries known for manufacturing would not see such a large increase. This lead to a perception that the U.S. economy is growing faster or is larger compared to countries like China.