The Fourth Industrial Revolution, a.k.a. Industry 4.0 or 4IR, refers to the ongoing inclusive and human-centric transformation of traditional industries by integrating modern technologies.

This concept was popularized by Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, in 2016. According to Schwab, “The Fourth Industrial Revolution is characterized by a range of new technologies that are fusing the physical, digital and biological worlds, impacting all disciplines, economies and industries, and even challenging ideas about what it means to be human.”

Maria Carrisa Sanchez, writing for TechRepublic Premium, presents this explanation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including its evolution, features, benefits, and drawbacks.

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4IR EXAMPLES

Manufacturing

Tesla, an American multinational automobile manufacturer, employs IoT sensors to monitor the movement of components throughout its “gigafactories” and to assess the quality of production equipment. The data collected from these technologies is then used by the company to identify and address barriers in operations, hence increasing manufacturing process efficiency.

Like Tesla, multiple manufacturing companies around the world are now integrating smart technologies, such as IoT sensors, AI-powered analytics, and robotics, to develop interconnected and intelligent systems. This enables continuous surveillance, predictive maintenance, and maximizing the efficiency of manufacturing processes.

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TIME SAVED: Crafting this content required 20 hours of dedicated writing, editing, research, and design.