Abstract: Firstly, this paper discusses the change in the way of thinking and working of the cartographers and cartographic engineering through data, big data and space-time big data, which promotes cartography to enter a new era of the "fourth scientific paradigm" characterized by "data-intensive computing". Secondly, this paper analyzes the functions and features of the digital transformation results of 4D products, and the progress in diversification and individuation of the map products, and the "design - compilation-publication" integrated digital transformation of mapping, and the feature of the representative atlases published in 2021. Finally, by giving two specific examples, i.e., the intellectualization of map generalization and digital mapping, this paper reviews four evolutionary stages of map generalization in the era of artificial intelligence and summarizes the difficulties and breakthroughs in key technologies, and provides a profound conclusion of the research status and the issues to be further explored in the domain.