4IR, 5IR, Society 5.0, and Values in Education
Noor Lide Abu Kassim
Abstract
The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has held the attention of the world for a long time.The term was first introduced in 2016 by Klaus Schwab, Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum (Industrial Analytics Platform, retrieved from https://iap.unido.org/articles/what-fourth-industrialrevolution).4IR represents technological advancement that has rapidly changed industries, economies and social realities with the introduction of smart automation, machine-to-machine communication and the internet of things.With the further expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) and chatbots like ChatGPT, digital technology has unmistakably made itself indispensable to mankind at all levels.While some parts of the world are still mesmerized by IR4.0, others are now moving towards IR5.0 -centering on humans working alongside smart machines.According to the European Commission, IR5.0 adopts a human-centric approach that is complemented by IR4.0 (European Commission, retrieved from https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/research-area/industrialresearch-and-innovation/industry-50_en).This concept is very similar to Japan's Society 5.0, which is Japan's blueprint for "a human-centred society that balances economic advancement with the resolution of social problems by a system that highly integrates cyberspace and physical space" (Cabinet Office, Government of Japan retrieved from https://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/english/society5_0/index.html).Japan in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's economic reform beginning 2013, introduced Society 5.0 in 2017, as a strategy to completely transform Japan into a "super-smart society" that integrates cyberspace and the physical space for a sustainable and inclusive socio-economic system that is powered by digital technologies of IR4.0 (UNESCO retrieved from https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/japanpushing-ahead-society-50-overcome-chronic-social-challenges).This shift focuses on harnessing technology made possible through IR4.0 to make human life more comfortable and sustainable, as well as resolving societal challenges such as issues related to a large aging society, energy and environmental sustainability (Cabinet Office, Government of Japan retrieved from https://www.cao.go.jp/index-e.html).It is a form of reform that aims to achieve better solutions to human life and social challenges by incorporating advances in technology and innovations of IR 4.0 into industry and social life (Cabinet Office, Government of Japan retrieved from https://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/english/society5_0/index.html).