- 23/05/2018
- Category: Commentaries
You might probably have stumbled upon the term “the fourth industrial revolution” or “Industry 4.0” lately. For those wanting to know more on these topics, this book is a complete package on what we should read to understand further, and moreover, to know what kind of future we will have as the consequences of its presence. No, Klaus Schwab is not a soothsayer nor a shaman who can foresee the future. He is the founder as well as the executive chairman of the World Economic Forum.[i] His arguments are built upon researches, discussions, and reports on the phenomenon of digital societies nowadays. Furthermore, the book provides a comprehensive framework since Schwab adheres economics, technical, and political principles that he had studied.
As we know, recent debates frequently occur in the discussions about technology and its development, often leading to the question “Will the acceleration of technology advancements weaken human beings?” If Elon Musk is pessimistic in his observation of the world’s technological development which has traveled so fast, then Schwab does not. Schwab even responds to the anxiety before he started the discussion. He said, “Technology is not an exogenous force over which we have no control … Take dramatic technological change as an invitation to reflect about who we are and how we see the world.”
Overall, The Fourth Industrial Revolution consists of three main parts: the history of the industrial revolution; what the revolution’s drivers are; and its impacts towards society’s lives. In the first part, Schwab explained the many phases of the industrial revolution up to the current one, which is the fourth industrial revolution. We started from the steam engine to what we have now. Basically, the third revolution is the phase at which computers were created. Previously, computers need a large room for storage, but it has now become smaller and could fit on our table and our lap. So, what is the fourth industrial revolution? That is when technology blurs the borders between our physical, biological, and digital lives.
In the second part, Schwab explains what caused the emergence of the fourth industrial revolution. He divided the reasons into three clusters: physical, biological, and digital. His arguments are based on the research of the World Economic Forum and other organizations. In the physical cluster, he mentioned four manifestations of the fourth industrial revolution: driverless vehicles, 3D printing, robotics, and new materials. In the biological cluster, technology has allowed us to create unprecedented innovations from genes editing to bioprinting—that we previously can only see in the movies. Lastly, in the digital cluster, the creation of the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies has assisted the emergence of this revolution. By using our smartphones and the Internet, all devices become connected and creates a new relationship called hyperconnectivity.
We cannot deny indeed that the presence and advancements of technology brings a new stage of our lives. But does it make our daily activities easier? Absolutely. However, these manifestations do bring another kind of impact into our lives. The author describes the impact of the fourth industrial revolution in detail in the third chapter of his book. The discussion starts with the economic sector, and move on to the business, government, social, and the specific impacts on individuals. It is not a new issue that robotics brings vulnerability to the workforce. However, robots will not replace humans. Schwab mentions that the fourth industrial revolution will provide an opportunity for human labor to improve cognition and affection so that humans and robots can work together. Furthermore, it is essential for us to create labor empowerment amid the existing disruption.
The third part of the book is the core of the discussion. Schwab argues that those affected by the fourth industrial revolution are not only from the economic or business sectors, but also the government as a political entity. Schwan does not miss the political side of the issue, unlike the authors of other economic-themed books. He sees the state as a political entity who is affected by this fourth industrial revolution. Governments are required to adapt and move faster in response to existing issues by collaborating with the private sector or civil society. He not only discusses advanced countries but also describes the challenges and opportunities for developing countries. Of the many impacts of the fourth industrial revolution he reviews, Schwab generally wants to point out that there are always two sides of the changes: the positives and the negatives, depending on the choices that we make as individuals (decisions) or institutions (policies).
The final part of this book is particularly interesting. Schwab provides an overview of what is or will be faced during the development of the fourth industrial revolution, along with its positive and negative impacts. He provides a picture of what attitudes we should take when facing the transformation brought by technological developments. Overall, this book has succeeded in providing a complete and clear explanation of what the fourth industrial revolution means, along with its impacts and goals. Moreover, the argument presented is built upon numerous researches and surveys. After reading this book, we no longer have to use the term “the fourth industrial revolution” simply because other people are talking about it, but we can also begin to understand the meaning of its presence and the consequences that it brings.
Welcome to the fourth industrial revolution.
Editors: Atin Prabandari, MA(IR) & Nabeel Khawarizmy Muna, S.IP
[i] World Economic Forum is a nonprofit organization committed to improving the state of world by engaging business, academic, political, as well as the leader of society to shape global and regional agendas
