What is the Fourth Industrial Revolution?

According to the Wikipedia dictionary, Industry 4.0 is the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. It includes cyber-physical systems, the Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud computing.

Industry 4.0 creates what is called a "smart factory," which has a modular structure where online physical systems monitor physical processes, create a virtual copy of the physical world, and make decentralized decisions. Through the Internet of Things, cyber-physical systems communicate and cooperate with each other and with humans in real-time, and through the Internet of Services, both internal and organizational services among value chain participants are provided and utilized.

It should be noted that human history has witnessed and undergone significant scientific and technological revolutions such as:

The First Industrial Revolution (from 1784) with the invention of the steam engine, which directly impacted industries such as textiles, mechanical manufacturing, and transportation.

The Second Industrial Revolution (from 1870) saw the invention of the electric engine, bringing about civilized living and increasing productivity many times over compared to the steam engine.

The Third Industrial Revolution (from 1969) occurred with the invention of the transistor, electronics, and the ability to connect the world through communication. Satellites, planes, computers, phones, the Internet… are the technologies we benefit from today, derived from this revolution.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution began in the 2000s and is known as the digital revolution, transforming the entire physical world into the digital world through technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), social networks, cloud computing, mobile, and big data analytics (SMAC).

History of 4 technological revolutions of humanity

The term Industrial Revolution 4.0 (or the Fourth Industrial Revolution) originates from the concept of "Industrie 4.0" in a German government report in 2013, understood as a high-tech strategy to computerize manufacturing without human participation. By January 2015, German Chancellor Angela Merkel mentioned Industrie 4.0 at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has a strong impact on many fields, with the advent of AI-powered robots bringing numerous applications to society. Thanks to AI technology, robots are increasingly intelligent, possessing boundless memory and learning capabilities, along with the advantage of working 24/7 without the need for salaries, taxes, or insurance. However, with the development of Industry 4.0, the labor force can be seriously threatened, potentially leading to job losses for people in the future. Thus, the fourth industrial revolution is a significant opportunity for countries worldwide but also poses challenges for humanity.

According to Directive 16/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam recently, to proactively seize opportunities, propose practical solutions to maximize advantages, and minimize negative impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on Vietnam, the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam requests Ministers, heads of agencies under the Government, central agencies, Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces, and centrally-run cities to focus on directing and effectively implementing solutions and tasks in the field of information and communication technology from now until 2020.

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