The Fourth Industrial Revolution builds on previous revolutions through emerging technologies like robotics, AI, IoT, 3D printing, and biotechnology. It is characterized by the fusion of technologies that blur physical, digital, and biological spheres. This revolution will disrupt economies, businesses, governments, societies, and individuals by changing the nature of work, customer expectations, and personal identity. Managing this transition requires new approaches to collaboration within and across these domains.

1. THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION
PREPARED BY: RACHIT LAHARIA (S174670)

2. WHAT IS FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the
Geneva-based WEF, published a book in 2016 titled
“The Fourth Industrial Revolution” and coined the term
at the Davos meeting that year.

3. INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTIONS
• First Industrial revolution
The First Industrial Revolution took place from the 18th to 19th centuries in
Europe and North America. It was a period when mostly agrarian, rural societies
became industrial and urban. The iron and textile industries, along with the
development of the steam engine, played central roles in the Industrial Revolution
• Second Industrial revolution
The Second Industrial Revolution took place between 1870 and 1914, just
before World War I. It was a period of growth for pre-existing industries and
expansion of new ones, such as steel, oil and electricity, and used electric power to
create mass production. Major technological advances during this period included
the telephone, light bulb, phonograph and the internal combustion engine

4. • Third Industrial revolution
The Third Industrial Revolution, or the Digital Revolution, refers to the
advancement of technology from analog electronic and mechanical devices to
the digital technology available today. The era started during the 1980s and is
ongoing. Advancements during the Third Industrial Revolution include
the personal computer, the internet, and information and communications
technology (ICT)

5. FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
• The Fourth Industrial Revolution builds on the Digital Revolution, representing new ways in
which technology becomes embedded within societies and even the human body. The Fourth
Industrial Revolution is marked by emerging technology breakthroughs in a number of fields,
including robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, quantum
computing, biotechnology, The Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, 3D
printing and autonomous vehicles.
• In his book, The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Schwab describes how this fourth revolution is
fundamentally different from the previous three, which were characterized mainly by advances
in technology. The underlying basis for 4IR lies in advances in communication and connectivity
rather than technology. These technologies have great potential to continue to connect billions
of more people to the web, drastically improve the efficiency of business and organizations
and help regenerate the natural environment through better asset management.
• “Mastering the Fourth Industrial Revolution” was the theme of the World Economic Forum
Annual Meeting 2016 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. On October 10, 2016, the Forum
announced the opening of its new Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in San Francisco.
According to the Forum, the center will "serve as a platform for interaction, insight and impact
on the scientific and technological changes that are changing the way we live, work and relate
to one another."
• According to Arik Segal, the Fourth Industrial Revolution holds unique opportunities to
improve human communication and conflict resolution.

6. EXPLAINING FOURTH REVOLUTION

7. MEGATRENDS IN FOURTH INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION
•Physical
•Digital
•Biological

8. MEGATRENDS - PHYSICAL
Physical trends are the easiest to see because they are tangible :
• Autonomous vehicle: Trucks, cars, drones, aircraft, boats etc.
• 3D Printing : (Additive manufacturing) used in a broad range of
applications from large (turbines) to small (medical implants)
• Advance robotics : More adaptive and flexible, with advanced
sensors, they can understand and respond in a better way.
• New materials: Lighter, stronger , recyclable, adaptive, smart (e.g.
Self-cleaning)

9. MEGATRENDS - DIGITAL
Some of these trends are a bridge between physical and digital :
• IoT: (internet of things) a relationship between things
(Products, services, places, etc.) and people.
• Blockchain: New approaches for engagement and collaboration,
blockchain creates the trust without a neutral central part.
• Platforms: Matching supply and demand in a very accessible
way.

10. MEGATREND – BIOLOGICAL
Progress has been achieved in reducing cost:
• Genome: Today a genome can be sequenced in a few hours
(more then 10 years and 2.7 billion euro to complete human
genome project).
• Synthetic biology: Customizing organism by writing DNA.
• Data: Increase medical precision with targeted therapies.

11. IMPACT OF FOURTH INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION
•Economy
•Business
•National
•Society
•Individual

12. ECONOMY - IMPACT
• Growth : Technology innovation are at an inflection point and
will soon unleash a surge in productivity.
• Employment : New technologies will dramatically change the
nature of work across all industries.
• New skills : Low- risk jobs in term of automation will be those
that require decision making uncertainty.
• Nature of work : Work force will do a portfolio of things to
generate income.

13. “The velocity of disruption and the
acceleration of innovation are hard to
comprehend or anticipate”
K. Schwab
Founder and Executive chairman, WEF

14. BUSINESS - IMPACT
• Customer expectations: moving to a world of continuous
adjustment and refinement while ensuring that the human
dimension to the interaction remains at the heart of the project.
• Data-enabled products: Continuous learning from data and
analytics
• New collaborations : Not only marketing partnership but real
collaborations.
• New operating models : Always in “beta”

15. “Businesses, industries and corporations will
face continuous Darwinian pressure and as
such, the philosophy of “always in beta” (always
evolving) will become more prevalent.”
K. Schwab
Founder and Executive chairman, WEF

16. NATIONAL - IMPACT
Disruptive changes are redefining how public institutions and
organizations operate.
In the “old world” decision makers had enough time to study a
specific issues and then create the necessary response.
Technology will increasingly enable citizens providing a new way
to voice their opinions.

17. “Governments should be essential
partners in shaping the transition to
new scientific, technological economic
and societal frameworks.”
K. Schwab
Founder and Executive chairman, WEF

18. SOCIETY – IMPACT
The biggest challenge for society is how to absorb and
accommodate the new modernity while still embracing traditional
values.
Belonging to a community today is more defined by personal
projects and individual values rather than by spaces, work or
family.

19. “A wealth of information create a
poverty of attention.”
K. Schwab
Founder and Executive chairman, WEF

20. INDIVIDUAL - IMPACT
The fourth industrial revolution is not only changing what we do but
also who we are:
It will change our identity in many aspects:
• Behaviors
• Privacy
• Ownership
• Consumptions
• Time for work
• Time for leisure
• Etc.

21. “In an age of acceleration, nothing can be more
exhilarating than going slow. And in an age of
distraction, nothing is so luxurious as paying
attention.”
K. Schwab
Founder and Executive chairman, WEF

22. SOURCES
• World economic forum – Official website