It’s here, it’s actually happening at this moment when I’m typing this blog. The world has entered into a new era, an era where you absolutely solely rely on technology. This technology will change the way we communicate, work and associate. In the reading for this week, the author identifies this fourth industrial revolution into three different categories, physical, digital and biological. The thing that stood out most for me was the physical aspect. It has further four main manifestations namely autonomous vehicles, 3D printing, advanced robotics and new materials.

If I relate this new forthcoming revolution with my own example,  I’m actually thinking to buy a drone for my family farming business. It’s a huge land and with it’s help, It’s easier to navigate from top and in near future, it will ‘enable more precise and efficient use of fertilizers and water usage for the land.’ (P.15).

However, with facility to share and potential to improve quality life further, it is pertinent to mention the question of ethics involved in our personal and private. How private our life have become? Once it’s on the internet, it is there forever. Even though with innovative cloud networking employment system that Uber and AirBnB has done, it does provide flexible work flow but also exploits as their is loss of labour rights. Privacy is also a factor as once we know we are being watched, we  behave conservative and criticized. I believe the authority should launch parameter structures to broadcast ideologies, recruit followers and coordinate actions against or in spite of official government systems. 

Being a Media student and most likely looking for job after graduation, I’m hopeful that with the uprising of this fourth industrial revolution, it’ll create new industries and new job opportunities for us. All we need to do, is to be updated!

Extracts from Klaus Schwab, 2016, The Fourth Industrial Revolution (World Economic Forum), pp.14-26, 47-50, 67-73, 91-104.