Ask HN: Evolution of technologic business strengths

Hi HN!

Some years ago a software engeneering professor said that strengths in businesses have evolved from hardware then to software and now to data. Like at first hardware was a key differentiator but then became a commodity, so software was the differentiator, and then again with software and data.

I'm looking for some kind of reference about this but my google-fu isn't working well today and I thought that probably someone in the HN crowd may knew something about this or write an insightful mini essay in the comments ;)

I know we can probably discuss that our data is now bought and sold so we are in a new state of things, but at first I'm looking for some references.

Thanks in advance, any pointer would be appreciated.