During this global pandemic when the world was put on pause, we saw the wholesale effects of the inequities in our technological system. The most vulnerable were being bombarded with a need to catch up to a digital world that remained just at the edge of their grasp. Previously, schools, libraries, and public spaces provided the bridge between these digital realms. Suddenly, those were closed. These public institutions, with COVID-19, only became accessible through an internet connection and a digital peripheral. These distinct disparities are discussed in The Fourth Industrial Revolution by Klaus Schwab. Schwab points out that “the digital divide becomes ever more pressing as it is increasingly difficult for people to participate in the digital economy and civic engagement without proper internet access and/or without access to a connected device of sufficient knowledge to use the device.” in his book.
Throughout modern history, humankind has witnessed, as well as instigated, these mechanistic and electronic revolutions. The first and second revolutions were earmarking by industry which brought about a carbon-based economy utilizing huge manufacturing plants run by coal. As time has moved forward, we have outgrown these modes of thinking and production. While the most current 3rd and 4th revolutions started back in the late ’70s, they were the beginnings of a technology-based digital economy. We are currently in the late stages of the 3rd revolution which revolved around the introduction of consumer-based computer internet technology which brought the world closer via communications. Moving rapidly into the 4th revolution, we are experiencing how to harness those specific digital attributes to create a systemic shift in the way we think about health care, education, and politics.
The 4th Industrial Revolution
World Economic Forum published on April 13, 2016
An Overview of Industry 4.0
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is a way of describing the blurring of boundaries between the physical, digital, and biological worlds. It’s a fusion of advances in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing, genetic engineering, quantum computing, and other technologies. It’s the collective force behind many products and services that are fast becoming indispensable to modern life. Think GPS systems that suggest the fastest route to a destination, voice-activated virtual assistants such as Apple’s Siri, personalized Netflix recommendations, and Facebook’s ability to recognize your face and tag you in a friend’s photo. In a quote from the World Economic Forum:
“When compared with previous industrial revolutions, the Fourth is evolving at an exponential rather than a linear pace. Moreover, it is disrupting almost every industry in every country. And the breadth and depth of these changes herald the transformation of entire systems of production, management, and governance.” https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-what-it-means-and-how-to-respond/
A Needed Pause
Meanwhile, much of humankinds need to create and progress is partially why we are in this global pandemic. Encroaching and opening areas that were previously frozen or untouched has made a global population vulnerable. For example, visiting wet markets to attain new culinary sensations or travelling to more sensitive areas are leaving boundaries between habitats mutable. So, it seems as though this pandemic reminds us to stop and take a moment. Be more mindful of the world around us. These times give us the opportunity to reflect on where we are at and what we are doing. It has also challenged our ability to be “agile” in the face of immediate change. Suddenly, we needed to rethink how to approach education, business and the arts in order to stay healthy. Educators were being fast tracked to teach online through remote learning. Non-essential businesses were reimaging how to engage their consumers in new ways of physical distance and limited engagements. The arts were having to relook at how to perform and entertain through digital networks and social platforms. These challenges were met in many cases and we managed. This reminds us all, we can meet changes with success.
This is what brings me to the question, how do we move forward to be inclusive of everyone’s needs?
Change Makers answer the call
Let’s look at one change maker that started reimagining industry 3.0 then the 4.0 world early on in his life and now revolutionizing the way we think about our lives in the 21st century. As a young man, South African born, Elon Musk started to imagine the world through futuristic eyes while reading Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series. His mother, Maye Musk says, “When Elon was young, I noticed that he read everything. He was always absorbing information. We called Elon the Encyclopedia. I guess now we would call him The Internet.” He resonated with the idea that “you should try to take the set of actions that are likely to prolong civilization, minimize the probability of a dark age and reduce the length of a dark age if there is one”.[i] From his formative years, it became a mission of his to assist in maximizing his capacity to influence creations that better humanity and prolong sustainability. Outside of being the CEO of Tesla, one of the most globally renowned electric vehicle companies, he’s also affiliated with SolarCity, SpaceX, Hyperloop, OpenAI and Neuralink. Each of these businesses revolve around industry 4.0 concepts.
For instance, SolarCity is a U.S. provider of solar power systems. Then in 2016, SolarCity was acquired by Tesla. The integration of the two companies seemed obvious as Musk says, “If you have a great solar roof, and you have a battery pack in your house, and you have an electric car, that scales worldwide. You can solve the whole energy equation with that.” (Oct 28, 2016 | Source)
The concept for HyperLoop creates a high-speed transportation system that builds reduced-pressure tubes using pressurized capsules as the mode of travel between large city centers such as New York to Washington, D.C. This transportation system has been cited as being cheaper than any other mode for long-distance transport. As well, it’s impact on the environment is nominal outside of the initial construction.
Meanwhile, a division of SpaceX, Starlink, is in the final stages of providing delivery of high-speed broadband internet to locations where access has been unreliable, expensive, or completely unavailable. When putting tens of thousands of satellites in orbit and connecting them in a network with one another, he says he can ensure smart global coverage in a way no one ever has. Each solar-powered Starlink satellite will have sensors and thrusters so it can detect its location and stay in line. Musk also says these satellites will safely deorbit at end of life without leaving behind unnecessary space garbage. Currently, Starlink is in its beta test stage and looking for consumer’s be part of their large scale implementation process. In his book, Schwab suggests that by 2025, 90% of people will have regular access to the internet. As he says, “regular access to the internet and information will no longer be a benefit of developed economies, but a basic right like clean water.”
With TESLA, Musk has also done what previous CEOs failed to do which is put priority in sharing the technology and making these all-electric cars affordable for an average consumer. As well, in 2014, Tesla allowed good faith usage of its patents to accelerate the development of electric vehicles. Then, in 2016, he unveiled the Model 3, Tesla’s most consumer-friendly electric vehicle coming in at $35,000 US and making it the world’s best-selling electric car. Being a stickler for branding as much as technology, Musk originally wanted to label his newest addition, Model E. However, Ford wouldn’t release its trademark ownership. Interestingly, the dampening of the “E” version caused Musk to rethink his spelling of all TESLA’s S, X, Y series to be S3XY instead of his preferred SEXY.
During this same time frame, in 2015, Musk announced his creation of OpenAI, a not for profit artificial intelligence (AI) company. OpenAI’s intentions are to develop artificial general intelligence in a way that is safe and beneficial to humanity. Which aligns itself with Neuralink, where the organization is looking at ways on how to create devices that can be implanted in the human brain.
Musk’s visions remind us all that anything is possible. These changes will advance North America into a cleaner and more empathic future. So, with the right investments and policies from other leaders, a shift in global civilization is just around the corner in this Fourth Revolution.
[i] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk
The Fourth Industrial Revolution (2016) by Klaus Schwab