FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION:

CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES FOR EUROPE

Humanity has entered a new phase of technological development, the so called Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). The 4IR is characterized by emerging technologies that blur the lines between the physical, digital and biological spheres. It integrates cyber-physical systems and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, autonomous vehicles, 3-D printing, nanotechnology, biotechnology, materials science, energy storage, and quantum computing. These disruptive technologies evolve exponentially rather than linearly generating new products, new manufacturing processes and new business models.

Beyond the indisputable capacities of the 4IR, the ongoing public discussion has revealed a series of concerns, vulnerabilities and risks which highlight the necessity of an open public debate on key-aspects of the digital future in the post-pandemic era. Focusing on Europe, this dialogue is crucial in order to assess past experiences and current trends, to enable the expression of opinions from various stakeholders and member-countries, to highlight the multiple dimensions and issues at stake and to reach consensual policy proposals for an optimal contribution of new technologies to sustainable and inclusive development.