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.
Business
3 ways to unlock the world-changing power of start-ups
Technology pioneers don't just need a genius idea – they need to develop in an ecosystem that nurtures them with all the elements needed to grow.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
By 2025 the IT industry could use 20% of all electricity produced. How can we make it sustainable?
Internet servers require a huge amount of energy to operate. Electronic engineer Jeff Kettle discusses the need to make internet usage more sustainable.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
Meet the World Economic Forum's Technology Pioneers of 2021
This year’s Technology Pioneers includes leaders in everything from neuroscience to cleantech.
Cybersecurity
How to practise good cyber-hygiene across your supply chain
Most businesses simply accept that their suppliers are cybersecure. We need better standards for verifying and certifying that is the case.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
This AI technique could use a digital version of Earth to help fight climate change
Applying an AI technique called reinforcement learning and digital Earth to test climate-saving initiatives and tackle climate change.
Emerging Technologies
Rebuilding after COVID: The challenge is digital
The pandemic has exacerbated the structural flaws and inequalities digitalization was already opening up. How can we move forward?
Fourth Industrial Revolution
The automobile industry needs to steer in this direction for future success
The automotive industry needs to be digitalised. It will require a complete culture shift and change-management strategies that realign the entire supply chain.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
The private sector is taking the lead on enabling digital inclusion. Here's how.
Through initiatives like the EDISON Alliance, the private sector is increasing the affordability and access to broadband, devices and digital literacy.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
Why we need to get more people with disabilities involved in developing technology
User interface design best practices have long included users in the design process. Including users with disabilities results in more accessible technology.
Emerging Technologies
10 steps to educate your company on AI fairness
As companies increasingly apply artificial intelligence, they must address concerns about trust. Here are 10 practical interventions companies can employ.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
Human-centric tech will make AI faster and fairer. Here's how.
With ML-assisted technology embedded into the data labelling pipeline, you can reduce the time, money and people required for AI development.
Emerging Technologies
How can we stem the spread of disinformation online?
MIT launched the Reconnaissance of Influence Operations (RIO) program to automatically detect disinformation narratives online - this is how it works.