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The 21st‑century scientific landscape is characterized by the convergence of complexity science, interdisciplinarity, big data and artificial intelligence (AI) as key transformative trends. Together, these elements are reshaping how science approaches complex realworld systems and challenges. In Kuhnian terms (Kuhn, 1962), several scientific disciplines appear to be moving towards a paradigm shift. Ionospheric research is taking advantage of this evolution, improving our understanding of the ionosphere as a complex sub‑system of the larger and more complex geospace system. This paper briefly describes recent advances in ionospheric research that explicitly involve complexity, interdisciplinarity, big data and AI. It explores these developments within a framework that can be interpreted as a path towards a paradigm shift in Kuhn’s sense of scientific development.