I guess this has probably paralleled the neoliberal makeover of university labour and the increased use of a casualized/precariat academic workforce we've seen in english-speaking academia in the last 20 years as well.
Edit: I hadn't really thought much about the connection but I can see how a more neoliberal labour force is attractive to private interests. And we saw the very real way the latter can shape knowledge production when Gates held Oxford's feet to the fire over their COVID vaccination IP.