The Fourth Industrial Revolution

Amelia Vallejo 7°B 

We live in a time full of changes, and I don’t mean covid-19; what I mean is that we are at the edge of the next industrial revolution. Over time we have made technological advancements that changed the way people lived; for instance, can you believe living without electricity? People in the 1840s had to use candles for light and read books they had for information. All over the world, people are coming up with new ideas that are getting us nearer to the fourth industrial revolution. Every day, new programs combine both virtual and physical aspects to make all kinds of things. In a few years, the world will be full of 3D printers, AI systems, and robots. It is going to change the industry; all jobs are going to change. Humanity is taking a turn that will give us a new life. 

But what is it? An industrial revolution is a change in the economy marked by the introduction of power-driven machinery or a swap in the prevailing types and methods of using those machines. In the fourth industrial revolution, companies are looking to morph physical, digital, and biological spheres. There are many ways this can happen; one of the most common examples is Artificial Intelligence.  

Artificial Intelligence or AI is a branch of computer science that builds intelligent machines capable of doing tasks that require a human to do it. AI is already all around us, in self-controlling cars, virtual assistants, and even more.  

Another factor that is going to change the industry drastically is 3D Printing. In some time, when 3D Printing will be available for almost everyone, jobs are going to be different. For example, a carpenter will no longer learn how to make and assemble bed parts; but will instead study how to design and build a 3D Printed bed. 

But as much good it brings; we must not ignore the risks we are also facing by making the fourth industrial revolution real. Probably the biggest of these problems would be job loss. Robots will do much more than they do now; they will replace people in some jobs, and that causes unemployment. Another big problem is going to be cybersecurity risk. In some years, everything will be connecting, so things that have malicious intentions like hacking will be easier to do if we do not create a security system efficiently enough; the possibility of bad things happening online increases.  

In general, I think the fourth industrial revolution will change humanity for the better, that is, if we learn to use it responsibly. In the case we are unable to do so, it may cause a lot of problems and affect badly the way we live now.