Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0: Opportunities and Threats

Abstract

Industry 4.0 promises to revolutionize industrial production with increased operational efficiency, the development of new business models, services and products. It enables real-time production planning and dynamic optimization in contrast to conventional forecast. The tools and technological advances developed by Industry 4.0 will have a significant role to improving the quality of life in society in order to enable a happier, motivated, and satisfied and with more time for leisure. As a consequence, it will increase productivity and the mankind will choose the direction and the kind of society we want to create in the future to promote equal wealth distribution. As consequence of Industry 4.0 emerges Society 5.0, beginning in Japan, due to the concern of the ageing population. Society 5.0 focuses on the use of tools and technologies developed by Industry 4.0 to benefit the humankind. Intelligent systems, developed by Industry 4.0, could be seen by society as a beneficial rather than as adversaries. Future society could benefit from advanced technology in solving problems and economically. Society 5.0 has a special focus to position the human being at the centre of innovation, technological transformation and industrial automation, stimulated by Industry 4.0. This new Society 5.0 paradigm will play a predominant role in creating a happier, satisfied, fulfilled and consequently more productive society. Society 5.0, also called the super intelligent society, intends to use advanced technology of Industry 4.0 for enjoyment of humankind, in order to promote an interconnection between people and systems in cyberspace with optimization of results by artificial intelligence.