I think the closest thing to an actual "standard" is AES5-2018, "Recommended practice for professional digital audio".

Abstract:

> A sampling frequency of 48 kHz is recommended for the origination, processing, and interchange of audio programs employing pulse-code modulation. Recognition is also given to the use of a 44.1-kHz sampling frequency related to certain consumer digital applications, the use of a 32-kHz sampling frequency for transmission-related applications, and the use of a 96-kHz sampling frequency for applications requiring a higher bandwidth or more relaxed anti-alias filtering. This revision further quantifies the preferred choices for higher sampling frequencies.

Edit: From my personal perspective, 44.1kHz is a legacy minor annoyance

48kHz makes alignment between video and audio so much easier. (I.e.: Lip synchronization after edits)

AAC has a strange quirk that the window size is dependent on the sampling rate, thus requiring a complete psychoacoustics reoptimization of all encoder parameters for each sampling rate, since a 20msec window sounds very different than a 60msec window, to human ears.

This was of course fixed in Opus.

Pretty much all DACs run at 48Khz by default due to operating systems picking it as a sane default.

I know the opus codec assumes everything is 48kHz and will resample inputs to that.

For one, audio transcription services that use Whisper will sample the input down to 16Khz mono first.

More or less. Streaming is often done with 48, video content has ben 48 for a while now, so unless you still produce content for CDs it is the standard.

44100 Hz had reasons no longer really needed (storing audio in 3 samples per line in VHS: 490 lines × 3 samples × 30 GPS = 44100 sample/s).

Qualitywise both are more than enough snd 99.99% of people would not be able to tell it apart in a blind test. Higher sample rates than 48kHz only needed when you want to pitch down ultrasonic recordings (of whales, bats and other such animals for example).

Aside from this higher than 48 kHz sample rates may have only downsides, like increased size and potential distortion in the ultrasonic frequency range that has sidebands in the audible range. Yet there is a persistent, but unscientific "more-is-better"-crowd in the HiFi-sector.

Yes, pretty much all new hardware uses it as default output setting as well (by that I mean laptops, phones, smart speakers, etc.)

Yes and no. It is the standard for audio in film, which explains the author's focus. But is the audio CD bigger and more "standarder" than DVD and Blu-Ray? I think they're equals, and I personally think this encoder only makes sense for video content. Given all the caveats the author mentions (in particular about the sample rate) I would steer clear from using it when ripping CDs.

48kHz has been the recommended setting with Premiere Pro as long as I can remember.

44.1kHz, isn't that what lameMP3 uses as default?