# You can only push the frontier on dimensions where you are at the frontier Many people cite countries in Africa and China “technologically leapfrogging” the United States. The flagship evidence is Chinese mobile payments and cell phone propagation in Africa. These places can push the frontier *on those dimensions* - mobile phones as the computing center and mobile payments. However, this is not to be taken (as many people do) as a sign that they will soon eclipse the US technology. [Examples needed.] Precision is essential when we’re talking about the technological frontier. At the end of the day [[Type I progress is easier to do in developed nations]]. <!-- #evergreen --> [Web URL for this note](http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/You+can+only+push+the+frontier+on+dimensions+where+you+are+at+the+frontier) [Comment on this note](http://via.hypothes.is/http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/You+can+only+push+the+frontier+on+dimensions+where+you+are+at+the+frontier)