The 4th Industrial Revolution is an extension from the Digital Revolution, this new era represents new ways in which tech will become embedded within society. This new wave of tech has been named due to a number of emergent technological breakthroughs across a variety of fields including artificial intelligence,The Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing, robotics, nanotechnology, quantum computing, biotechnology, autonomous vehicles and more. These advancements in technology are disrupting job economies and security and could potentially change the employment and self employment landscape forever.
What is the 4th Industrial Revolution?
The 4th Industrial Revolution, or 4IR, is the latest major industrial era and it can be described as a range of new technologies that are merging the worlds of the physical, digital and biological. This is impacting all manner of disciplines, economies, and industries.
Professor Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, described this era in his book, The Fourth Industrial Revolution. The book makes clear distinctions between the 4th Industrial Revolution and the previous three. The key characterisation were made distinct by disruptive advances in technology. These technologies have the potential to create entirely new industries and economies like BitCoin who have created an entirely different form of commerce. The other side of these disruptive technologies, is that in the creation of new efficient ways of connecting technologies and industries and creating better asset management, the tech also has the potential to affect job security.
How does the 4th Industrial Revolution affect me?
The 4IR is set to potentially cause one of the biggest disruptions in the world’s workforce since the industrial revolution. Recent research suggests that over 30% of jobs in Britain are may be under threat from technological advancements in artificial intelligence. Many job roles and industrusty that were not originally considered ripe for automation suddenly are. Find out how many jobs per sector, are at high risk of being taken by robots by 2030.
What effect will this have on the economy?
The UK Government has invested into an industrial digitalisation review which was carried out by leading business figure Juergen Maier who is CEO Siemens UK and Ireland. The review was instigated was tasked by Theresa May to establish how the UK manufacturing industry may benefit from meeting the increasing digitalisation and technological changes.
According to the report released on 23rd of January 2017, the 4th industrial revolution could unlock £445bn for UK the review established the potential for the provisions of a long term vision for the manufacturing industry.
How can we futureproof our roles?
The only way to futureproof your role is to invest time into understanding the potential direction of the 4IR, predicting the potential effect it could have on your job security and upskilling to a level of work that will ensure job safety. Alternatively invest time into understanding the new era that is the process of its creation. Initial investors into BitCoin will now brag to the tune of £6302.82 for one singular BitCoin.
