Fourth Industrial Revolution

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The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is the fourth major industrial era since the initial Industrial
Revolution of the 18th century. It is characterized by a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines
between the physical, digital, and biological spheres, collectively referred to as cyber-physical
systems.[1] It is marked by emerging technology breakthroughs in a number of fields,
including robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, quantum computing, biotechnology, the Internet
of Things, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), fifth-generation wireless technologies (5G), additive
manufacturing/3D printing and fully autonomous vehicles.
Klaus Schwab, the executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, has associated it with the "second
machine age"[2] in terms of the effects of digitization and artificial intelligence (AI) on the global economy,
but added a broader role for advances in biological technologies.[3][need quotation to verify] These technologies
are disrupting almost every industry in every country. And the breadth and depth of these changes herald
the transformation of entire systems of production, management, and governance.
Schwab sees as part of this revolution "emerging technology breakthroughs" in fields such as artificial
intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles, 3D printing, quantum
computing and nanotechnology.[4] The fourth wave of the industrial revolution is expected to see the
heavy implementation of several emerging technologies with a high potential of disruptive effects. [5]

Stages of the Industrial Revolution[edit]

First Industrial Revolution[edit]
Main article: Industrial Revolution

Picture of the "Puffing Billy" steam engine taken in the Science Museum in London.

The First Industrial Revolution took place from the 18th to 19th centuries in Europe and America. It was a
period when mostly agrarian, rural societies became industrial and urban.[6] The iron and textile
industries, along with the development of the steam engine, played central roles in the Industrial
Revolution.[6]
Second Industrial Revolution[edit]
Main article: Second Industrial Revolution
The Second Industrial Revolution took place between 1870 and 1914, just before World War I.[7] It was a
period of growth for pre-existing industries and expansion of new ones, such as steel, oil and electricity,
and used electric power to create mass production. Major technological advances during this period
included the telephone, light bulb, phonograph and the internal combustion engine.[8]
Third Industrial Revolution[edit]
Main article: Digital Revolution
The Third Industrial Revolution, or the Digital Revolution, refers to the advancement of technology from
analog electronic and mechanical devices to the digital technology available today. The era started during
the 1980s and is ongoing.[9] Advancements during the Third Industrial Revolution include the personal
computer, the internet, and information and communications technology (ICT)
Fourth Industrial Revolution[edit]
See also: Industry 4.0

1983 Industrial Robots KUKA IR160/60, 601/60

The Fourth Industrial Revolution builds on the Digital Revolution, representing new ways in which
technology becomes embedded within societies and even the human body. [10] The Fourth Industrial
Revolution is marked by emerging technology breakthroughs in a number of fields,
including robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, quantum computing, biotechnology, The Internet
of Things (IoT), 3D printingand autonomous vehicles.
In his book, The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Schwab describes how this fourth revolution is
fundamentally different from the previous three, which were characterized mainly by advances in
technology. The underlying basis for 4IR lies in advances in communication and connectivity rather than
technology. These technologies have great potential to continue to connect billions of more people to the
web, drastically improve the efficiency of business and organizations and help regenerate the natural
environment through better asset management.[11]
“Mastering the Fourth Industrial Revolution” was the theme of the World Economic Forum Annual
Meeting 2016 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. On October 10, 2016, the Forum announced the opening of
its new Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in San Francisco. According to the Forum, the center
will "serve as a platform for interaction, insight and impact on the scientific and technological changes that
are changing the way we live, work and relate to one another."[12]
According to Arik Segal, the Fourth Industrial Revolution holds unique opportunities to improve human
communication and conflict resolution.[13]
The phrase 'fourth industrial revolution' was first coined by Schwab in 2016, and introduced the same
year at the World Economic Forum.[14]