The Fourth Industrial Revolution represents a fundamental change in the way we live, work and relate to one another. It is a new chapter in human development, enabled by extraordinary technology advances commensurate with those of the first, second and third industrial revolutions. These advances are merging the physical, digital and biological worlds in ways that create both huge promise and potential peril. The speed, breadth and depth of this revolution is forcing us to rethink how countries develop, how organisations create value and even what it means to be human. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is about more than just technology-driven change; it is an opportunity to help everyone, including leaders, policy-makers and people from all income groups and nations, to harness converging technologies in order to create an inclusive, human-centred future. The real opportunity is to look beyond technology, and find ways to give the greatest number of people the ability to positively impact their families, organisations and communities.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
Consumer interest in electric and self-driving vehicles is growing
A McKinsey and World Economic Forum survey has looked at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer sentiment in the mobility sector. Here's what it found.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
Blockchain can protect our trees. Here's how
The world’s greatest clean-tech solution stands already exists: trees. We can optimise them and hit EU green targets by using blockchain.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
How industries can use automation to innovate
Open, interoperable standards for automation tools in industry can drive recovery.
Emerging Technologies
Meet the new generation of tiny, agile drones
Researchers in electrical engineering and computer science have developed miniature drones that can operate in tiny spaces and withstand collisions.
Cybersecurity
Why we need a mindset shift to combat the new wave of supply-chain cyberattacks
Business organizations have made encouraging adaptation to the expansion of the digital ecosystem during the pandemic. Now they may need to rethink their risk assessment
Climate Action
Firms backed by Robert Downey Jr. and Bill Gates have funded an electric motor company that slashes energy consumption
Turntide's mission is to replace all the motors in the world with electric ones to help climate change; this is backed by large investors like Amazon.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
Historians used X-ray technology to read 17th century letters without opening them
High-resolution 'X-ray' dentistry technology allowed researchers to view the different layers of the historical letters without damaging or opening them.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
A Lego game is helping children learn digital empathy skills
Lockdowns have increased screen time for young people – which means increased risk, too. A new online quiz aims to keep children safe online, as well as foster empathy.
Nature and Biodiversity
Are these thermal 'selfies' the key to tackling elephant-human conflict?
Researchers built a database of 30,000 images to teach a camera system to detect elephants and alert locals to their presence.
Emerging Technologies
Superfast internet isn't just quicker, it's safer, too
5G has been used in healthcare, to demonstrate virtually how put on PPE for medical staff treating COVID-19 patients, writes Huawei's Deputy Chairman Ken Hu.
Health and Healthcare Systems
COVID-19 has accelerated digital transformation - here's how companies can adapt
Ben Crawford CEO of domain name company CentralNic, explains how companies can use the internet and outlines five strategies for digital transformations.
Climate Action
Volvo is planning to go fully electric by 2030
Swedish-based carmaker Volvo said 50% of its global sales should be fully-electric cars by 2025 and the other half hybrid models. It follows Ford Motor Co.