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
The reason a re-boot is the go-to computer fix
Rob Miles explains the origins of, and reasons for, the re-boot.
Business
These famous inventors helped changed our world, but not all their inventions were a success
From Thomas Edison's mass-produced concrete buildings to Alexander Graham Bell's flying machine, here are some inventions that didn't take off.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
What artificial intelligence will look like in 2030
A new report explores how AI could affect life in a typical North American city by 2030.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
Would you go car-free for free WiFi?
This start-up has an innovative plan to tackle Amsterdam's air pollution, with free WiFi-emitting birdhouses.
Resilience, Peace and Security
Brain-sensing tech, an ageing world, and other must-read stories of the week
A weekly round up of some of the top stories from the past seven days.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
This beautiful video gives us a 3D look inside cells
A new technique opens up the inside of cells, in a way never seen before.
Financial and Monetary Systems
A 3% boost to GDP from blockchain? It’s a real possibility
The Bank of England is seriously weighing the benefits of a digital currency.
Emerging Technologies
Marc Benioff: We're on the cusp of an AI revolution
Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, explores the future of artificial intelligence.
Arts and Culture
This MIT camera can read books. Even when they're closed
Researchers at MIT are developing a camera that can read closed books.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
In the future your sales assistant could be a robot
A look at the evolution of robotics in the retail industry.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
Which countries are the best – and least – prepared for tomorrow’s health threats?
The developing world is in many ways better equipped to deal with future healthcare challenges than some developed countries.
Jobs and the Future of Work
In the machine age, only one type of organization will thrive: a human one
“As traditionally high-skill jobs are increasingly outsourced to machines, humans must develop their deeper human capacities and qualities,” says Dov Seidman.