Learn in the textbookSocial Transformation and DX / GX
DefinitionThe Fourth Industrial Revolution (第4次産業革命) is the large shift in how industry and society work, brought about by technologies such as IoT, AI, and big data.
ExplanationIts hallmark is that all kinds of things connect to the internet (IoT), and AI analyzes the large volume of data they send to create new products and services. Industrie 4.0 (インダストリー4.0), a manufacturing initiative the German government launched in 2011, is a well-known effort to push this trend forward from the factory side.
AnalogyIt is the fourth great wave to reshape industry, and this time the wave is driven by networks, data, and AI.
Memory hookThe Japanese 次 marks order: this is the fourth turning point after steam, electricity, and computers, hence "4th."