What is the Fourth Industrial Revolution?

Summary

The script discusses the transformative impact of the fourth Industrial Revolution, merging digital, physical, and biological systems, and altering our identities. It highlights advancements in technology, such as brain visualization and genome effects of mindfulness, and calls for a new economic model prioritizing human well-being over growth. The potential of a circular economy, local production via 3D printing, and the integration of renewable energy are explored. The script emphasizes the importance of education, innovation, and political support to reduce inequality and build a sustainable, healthy future.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The world is undergoing a fourth Industrial Revolution that integrates digital, physical, and biological systems, fundamentally changing us as humans.
• 🧠 Advances in technology, such as consumer-based EEG devices, allow us to visualize brain activity and access parts of ourselves previously thought impossible.
• 🧘‍♂️ There is a scientific basis for the effects of mindfulness on the brain, genome, and biological aging, potentially leading to a new renaissance in our understanding of identity.
• 🌱 The need for a new economic model that focuses on meeting the basic needs of every human and maximizing well-being, rather than just growth.
• 🔄 The circular economy and technological advancements like asset tracking and 3D printing can help decouple growth from resource constraints.
• 🏙️ Cities are evolving with local production capabilities through 3D printing and robotics, making them more efficient and less reliant on large supply chains.
• 🚫 The goal of environmental sustainability is shifting from being 'less bad' to actively creating a diverse, safe, and healthy world with clean resources.
• 🌬️ The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and biomass is crucial for combating climate change.
• 🤖 Robotics and automation are improving processes in various industries, but they also require humans to take the extra step to assist and innovate.
• 📈 The potential loss of jobs due to technology is a serious concern, but it also presents an opportunity to redefine work and share wealth more equitably.
• 🎓 Education and training must adapt to prepare individuals for the changing job market and to foster creativity and innovation from a young age.

Q & A

What is the fourth Industrial Revolution and how does it differ from previous revolutions?

The fourth Industrial Revolution is characterized by the fusion of digital, physical, and biological systems. Unlike previous revolutions, it changes not only what we do but also who we are, with technologies like EEG devices allowing us to visualize brain activity and access parts of ourselves previously unattainable.

How does the script suggest the fourth Industrial Revolution could impact our understanding of the human mind?

The script suggests that through devices like consumer-based EEG, we can unlock the 'black box' of the brain, enabling us to understand and realize an aspirational identity and potentially leading to a new renaissance in our relationship with life, the planet, and work.

What economic model shift is proposed in the script to meet the basic needs of every human on the planet?

The script proposes a shift to a new economic system focused on maximizing human well-being rather than growth per se. This system should allow meeting the basic needs of every human and operate within planetary means, being fairer and not just centered on growth.

How does the script relate the concept of a circular economy to the fourth Industrial Revolution?

The circular economy is presented as fitting closely with the goals of the fourth Industrial Revolution, promoting innovation and creativity. It involves using technologies like asset tracking, IT, and 3D printing to recover materials and feed them back into the economy, decoupling growth from resource constraints.

What is the potential impact of transforming cities through technology as discussed in the script?

Transforming cities to make them more efficient could have a huge impact, as it could reduce the need for big supply chains by enabling local sourcing through 3D printing and robotics, making cities more self-sufficient and potentially more sustainable.

How does the script address the issue of plastics and the environment?

The script suggests that we should not only be inspired by nature but also use natural organisms to design products and building parts. The goal is to move away from potentially toxic materials and towards safe and healthy materials for all generations.

What is the script's perspective on the relationship between technology and job loss by 2022?

While the script acknowledges the prediction of five million jobs being lost by 2022 due to technology, it emphasizes that the main question is the future of work and how we define and share the wealth, rather than the mere existence of jobs.

How does the script view the role of education and training in the context of the fourth Industrial Revolution?

The script highlights the need for new education and training to prepare for a world in motion, with examples like FIRST Robotics encouraging students from a young age to innovate and create, fostering a mindset of continuous learning and adaptation.

What is the potential of technology in the script's view to reduce inequalities?

The script suggests that the fourth Industrial Revolution has the potential to make inequalities visible and less acceptable, possibly garnering political support to reduce the gap, by empowering people all over the world through digital technology.

How does the script discuss the integration of renewable energy technologies?

The script talks about the need to integrate renewable energy technologies like solar, wind, and biomass into an integrated grid to supply energy to everyone who needs it at all times, marking a shift from the reliance on fossil fuels.

What ethical considerations does the script raise regarding the use of technology to access people's thoughts and emotions?

The script emphasizes the need to create a space that enables people to think freely and creatively, highlighting the importance of freedom of thought in open societies and the potential risks to progress if people fear having divergent thoughts due to technology accessing their thoughts and emotions.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Human Evolution

The first paragraph discusses the profound changes brought about by the fourth Industrial Revolution, which integrates digital, physical, and biological systems. It emphasizes the potential for humans to become superhumans through high-tech advancements, blurring the line between what is natural and artificial. The script highlights the ability to visualize brain activity and the impact of mindfulness on the brain and genome. It suggests a shift in economic models towards one that prioritizes human well-being over growth, and the importance of a circular economy that aligns with human innovation and creativity. The paragraph also touches on the need for transforming cities to be more efficient and the role of technology in designing safe and healthy products for future generations.

05:01

🌿 Transition to Renewable Energy and the Future of Work

The second paragraph focuses on the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and biomass, marking the end of an era in human history. It discusses the challenges and opportunities of integrating these energy sources into an efficient grid. The script also addresses the impact of technology on jobs, with a prediction of job losses but also the persistence of essential industries. The importance of new education and training is highlighted, along with the role of FIRST Robotics in encouraging innovation among students. The paragraph concludes with a discussion on the potential of the fourth Industrial Revolution to reduce inequalities and the importance of digital technology in empowering people globally.

10:03

🤖 Technological Advancements and the Preservation of Human Identity

The third paragraph delves into the ethical and societal implications of technological advancements, particularly in the areas of freedom of thought and speech. It stresses the need to create an environment where people can think freely and creatively without fear. The script discusses the potential of technology to augment human capabilities, as exemplified by the speaker's personal experience with robotic legs and the use of stem cells for bone repair. It also touches on the potential of genome editing and drug delivery technologies in fighting diseases like cancer. The paragraph concludes with a call to responsibility at all societal levels to adapt to technological changes without losing sight of what it means to be human.

Keywords

💡Fourth Industrial Revolution

The Fourth Industrial Revolution refers to the current era of technological advancement characterized by a fusion of the digital, physical, and biological worlds. It is a central theme of the video, illustrating how this revolution is not just changing what we do, but changing us as humans. For example, the script mentions how this revolution brings together digital, physical, and biological systems, and how it has the potential to make inequalities visible and less acceptable.

💡Human-Technology Integration

Human-Technology Integration is the concept of merging human capabilities with technological advancements. The video discusses this in the context of high-tech bodies and the difficulty in distinguishing between what is natural and artificial. An example from the script is the use of EEG devices to visualize brain activity, which gives us access to ourselves in unprecedented ways.

💡Mindfulness

Mindfulness, as discussed in the video, is the practice of being fully present and aware of one's thoughts and feelings. It is related to the video's theme as it has scientific backing for its effects on the brain, genome, and biological aging. The script mentions that understanding the human mind can lead to a new renaissance in our relationship with life, the planet, and work.

💡Circular Economy

The Circular Economy is an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. It is presented in the video as a model that aligns with human innovation and creativity, and as a means to decouple growth from resource constraints. The script gives an example of using asset tracking, IT, and 3D printing to recover materials and feed them back into the economy.

💡3D Printing

3D Printing is a process of creating three-dimensional objects from digital models. The video highlights its potential in transforming cities and making them more efficient by enabling local sourcing of many things, thus reducing the need for large supply chains. It is part of the broader discussion on technological advancements that can reshape our urban environments.

💡Robotics

Robotics involves the design, construction, operation, and use of robots. The video discusses the role of robotics in augmenting human capabilities and improving processes. An example given is the use of robots in construction and manufacturing, which can lead to significant improvements in efficiency and productivity.

💡Genome Editing

Genome Editing is the process of altering an organism's DNA. The video mentions its potential in understanding genetic changes that lead to diseases like cancer and in developing targeted drug delivery systems. It is an example of how technological advancements can revolutionize healthcare and medicine.

💡Sustainable Development

Sustainable Development is the pursuit of growth that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The video emphasizes the goal of creating a diverse, safe, healthy, and adjusted world with clean air, water, soil, and energy. It is tied to the broader theme of the video, which includes the need for a new economic model focused on human well-being.

💡Economic Model

An Economic Model is a framework that outlines how an economy functions or how economic agents interact. The video calls for a shift from the current models of capitalism and communism to a new system that prioritizes meeting basic human needs, fairness, and maximizing well-being over growth. It is a key concept in the discussion of how to adapt to the changes brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

💡Freedom of Thought

Freedom of Thought is the ability to think freely and creatively without constraints. The video stresses the importance of this freedom in open societies and the need to create spaces that enable such thinking. It is connected to the broader narrative of the video, which discusses the potential of technology to empower people and create a more equitable world.

💡STEM Education

STEM Education stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The video mentions the importance of STEM education in preparing students for the future, with examples like FIRST Robotics, where students engage in hands-on projects to learn and innovate. It is part of the discussion on how to equip the next generation with the skills needed for the technological changes of the future.

Highlights

The world is undergoing a transformation with the merging of digital, physical, and biological systems in the fourth Industrial Revolution.

This revolution changes us, not just what we do, with advancements like consumer-based EEG devices visualizing brain activity.

A new renaissance could emerge from understanding the human mind, impacting our relationship to life, the planet, and work.

A shift in economic models is needed to meet the basic needs of every human and maximize well-being, not just growth.

The circular economy aligns with human innovation and creativity, aiming to decouple growth from resource constraints.

3D printing and robotics can enable local sourcing and transform cities to be more efficient.

Designing with nature in mind is crucial for creating safe and healthy materials for future generations.

The fight against climate change requires a transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.

Integration of energy technologies, like solar and wind, through an integrated grid can supply energy reliably.

Robotics and automation are improving processes in various industries, not replacing human labor entirely.

The future of work involves redefining roles and sharing wealth, with a focus on new education and training.

FIRST Robotics encourages learning and innovation among students, showing early potential for technological contributions.

Digital technology empowers people globally, creating opportunities for equitable growth and reducing inequalities.

Advancements in technology, such as genome editing and drug delivery, offer hope for rapid progress in disease treatment.

Freedom of thought is essential in open societies, and technology must support, not hinder, creative and divergent thinking.

Stem cell research and 3D scaffolding are paving the way for personalized medical treatments.

Technological challenges require responsibility at all societal levels to adapt and redefine human identity.

The potential for technological implementation is vast, but making it accessible and affordable globally is a key challenge.

Transcripts

we are wondering what it is happening to

the world

everything is changing

the very idea of human being some sort

of natural concept is really going to

change our bodies will be so high-tech

we won't be able to really distinguish

between what's natural and what's

artificial inside our own heads is the

most complex arrangement of matter in

the known universe you might ask

yourself can we get to be superhumans

the original Industrial Revolution was

driven by the discovery that you could

use steam engines to do all kinds of

interesting things but that was followed

by additional revolutions for

electricity and computers and

communications technology we're now in

the early stages of the fourth

Industrial Revolution which is bringing

together digital physical and biological

systems one of the features of this

fourth Industrial Revolution is that it

doesn't change what we are doing but it

changes us with the ability to visualize

brain activity for example through a

simple consumer-based EEG device it

gives us access to ourselves and ways

that we've never before thought possible

it unlocks the black box that is brain

and enables us to really truly be able

to realize an identity that is

aspirational there's now a scientific

foundation for the effects of

mindfulness on the brain on the genome

on biological aging when the human mind

does know itself then you get the

potential for a new renaissance that

restructures itself in terms of our

relationship to life our relationship to

the planet our relationship to work we

need a different economic model by that

I don't mean capitalism versus communism

what I'm talking about is a shift in the

system along the lines of the two big

changes that happened in the 20th

century Keynesianism was a much greater

focus on health and education and

government working with business and

then a reaction against that in late

century to neoliberalism where the focus

was in free markets freedom the

individual and getting government's out

of the way we need shift to a new system

that will allow us to meet the basic

needs of every human on the planet that

will live within plan she means don't be

fairer and that will be focused as its

key goal not on growth per se but on

maximizing human well-being

and history tells us that a value shift

is triggered by creation of a new story

about how we want to live

I see the circular economy is something

which fits very closely with mankind's

goal to be innovative and creative and

to always progress we can use asset

tracking we can use IT we can use 3d

printing to enable this different

economic model to recover materials feed

them back into the economy and really to

decouple growth from the resource

constraints we have

the reason we live in cities is not

different today than it was ten thousand

years ago even if you have got networks

connecting us we still want to have

places where we meet in person

this means the place where we work in

the place where we live are much closer

to each other a city where we don't need

to have big supply chains in order to

produce things but many things can be

sourced locally thanks to 3d printing

and robotics so if we are able to do

something to transform cities to make it

more efficient then the impact can be

huge think about the prospect of getting

rid of plastics we must not only be

inspired or informed by nature but

actually use natural organisms with

which to design products and building

parts only instead of very material

properties were varying biological

functionality design is critical today

because it's the first signal of human

intention for the question of adding

quality to quantity but isn't a matter

of simply circulating the things that

are potentially toxic it's circulating

things that are safe and healthy for all

generations so the goal is no longer I

want to be less bad less monotonous less

unsafe less I just it's really about a

diverse safe healthy adjust world with

clean air clean water clean soil clean

energy

together we are fighting to preserve our

fragile climate from irreversible damage

and devastation of unthinkable

importance we think about the original

Industrial Revolution it was an energy

revolution I like to think of it as a

kind of book ending of a period in human

history during which we use fossil fuels

and it worked very well for us for a

long time but now we have to bring back

to an end we have energy technologies

that can power our civilization solar

wind biomass so then the question is

well how do we get good integration

maybe the wind is blowing in Denmark the

sun is shining in Germany and now you

can move that electricity through an

integrated grid you can supply energy to

everyone who needs it and you can supply

energy at all times

walking around you do see different

stuff far as like the body marriage line

they use a lot of things that help them

lift up and move things to the car we

just sit there and you know program

something and if it has gone set mine so

go ahead and do everything and then as

humans we just come in and take the

extra step to help technology it's not

the the cure-all for everything there's

definitely a lot of things where people

perform the operation better but

certainly for the right applications

robotics and are a huge improvement to

the process the prediction of five

million jobs lost by 2022 technology is

serious but it's not the main question

construction manufacturing services

public health and education these

industries will still exist the main

question is what will be the future of

work how will we define work how will we

share the wealth from the viewpoint of

the labor board jobs my idea we really

need new education or new training

we're working with a world in motion in

FIRST Robotics trying to encourage

students from third grade all the way up

through the end of high school we had

students make sailboats and then we had

them race him and so they could see how

quickly they could move and they

immediately went back and started to say

oh I saw what happened I'm going to go

change this or that and that was third

graders I just given a prize to a kid of

18 years old that has discovered

something really very very unique came

up with how to get better productivity

and better yields for seeds of corn and

so he basically came with the idea that

if you would perforate these seeds you

would get more food and you think about

they say but he didn't go to university

so how does it get all that knowledge

and he told me I mean I've been watching

YouTube since the age of 12 and I'm so

interested that I've seen everything

about it I've read everything about it

the world is really open to learning the

thing is how do you give incentive to

your kids to do that it's this ability

of digital technology to change outcomes

to truly empower people all over the

world that can create a more equitable

growth because I think the world needs

that

fourth Industrial Revolution has the

potential to make inequalities visible

and to make them less acceptable in the

future and hopefully together and garner

political support to take the necessary

decision to reduce the gap

humans have always been using tools but

because of the recent advances in

technology we're beginning to have

machines that can augment us in all

sorts of interesting ways I was the

first person in the world to be able to

voluntarily move my legs while stepping

in a robot by exciting the nervous

system using electrical stimulators

directly up to the spine we believed

that a cure will be possible if enough

of the right people have the will to

fast-track a cure for paralysis

we take two things from the patient

first we take a three-dimensional x-ray

and we extract the three-dimensional

data out of that so we can make a

perfectly shaped puzzle piece and then

we also take a sample of that tissue

from the patient so that we can extract

the stem cells out of those and we use

those stem cells with this

three-dimensional scaffold that we

fabricate and after three weeks we have

a piece of living bone that's ready for

implantation being able to use genome

editing to understand the genetic

changes that lead to cancer and

technologies like a drug delivery

getting molecules into particular types

of cells there's a lot of excitement

about being able to move much more

quickly on this disease one of the

things that I think is so essential to

free and open societies is freedom of

thought and up until now the

conversation we've been having is around

freedom of speech once we can access

people spots and access people's emotion

we have to create a space that enables

people to think freely to think

divergent thoughts to think creative

thoughts and in a society where people

fear having those thoughts the

likelihood of being able to enjoy

progress is significantly diminished we

need to take responsibility at every

level of society from the individual and

the person's of institutional to the

global to adapt to these technological

challenges and changes without

redefining what it means to be human

what it means to work what it means to

be completely embedded in this world

people always ask me if I'm an optimist

or pessimist the technology exists but

how do we get it and implemented at the

scale we need at a price that people

around the world can afford even though

we have everyday problems we have to

solve we have to find a way to lay the

foundations for the innovations of

tomorrow