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
Robots are preparing and serving food in a Dubai cafe
At Dubai's Robocafe, which opened last June, customers are served by robots, who prepare and deliver the food.
Emerging Technologies
Will humans and robots ever be friends? Here's what science can tell us
Taking inspiration from Aristotle and films to the US military, Tony Prescott, a neuroscientist, explores whether robots and humans can ever be 'friends'.
Emerging Technologies
Could an AI be your psychologist in the future?
The advance of AI and increased demand for mental health services due to COVID-19, has meant digital technologies are making major inroads into the sector.
Cybersecurity
Fifth-generation cyberattacks are here. How can the IT industry adapt?
Cyberattacks are reaching new levels of sophistication, and the COVID-19 pandemic is giving digital criminals more opportunities – but most companies' security measures remain outdated
Emerging Technologies
How climbing robots could usher in a new age of automation
The pandemic has accelerated the move to digitization – and now a new breed of robot could transform ageing warehouses.
Nature and Biodiversity
Playing a game on your phone could help save endangered species. Here’s how
A new game will allow smartphone users to support real-life conservation projects across the world by ‘caring for’ rare animals and ‘planting’ trees.
Forum Institutional
How 5G can be a force for social equality
The tech industry is uniquely positioned to broaden digital access using 5G cloud-based storage solutions which could lower the cost of devices for all.
Industries in Depth
Here's what happened when AI and humans met in a strawberry-growing contest
Top strawberry growers were pitted against data scientists in a smart-agriculture competition organized by Chinese e-commerce platform Pinduoduo. This is who won and why.
Industries in Depth
How timing could be the key to combatting misinformation online
MIT researchers found fact-checking labels that came after the false headline were more effective at reducing people's misclassification of headlines.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
5 ways artificial intelligence will assist in space exploration
Tasks including removing space junk, processing streams of data and acting as an onboard assistant are all ways AI can assist with space research in future.
Education and Skills
What are the advantages of blockchain as an educational resource?
Using blockchain could support the dissemination of open educational resources on a global scale. But it also brings challenges, including the legality of data ownership.
Forum Institutional
COVID-19 exposed the digital divide. Here's how we can close it
Many rural and low-income communities around the world, including those in large urban areas, lack reliable, affordable internet access. This has to change.