The Difference between Industrial Revolution 4.0 and Society 5.0

Society 5.0

The terms Industrial Revolution (IR) 4.0 and Society 5.0 have been around for quite some time in the business world. But, what exactly do those terms refer to? What is the difference and how does it work?

Industrial Revolution 4.0

The main theme of the IR 4.0 is connectivity and the interaction between humans and machines. This is the era of human and machine collaboration, as well as machine-to-machine collaboration. The IR 4.0 is all about digital integration, which brings all parties together on the same platform.

The concept of IR 4.0 is based on the digitalization of production processes to ensure things run efficiently. The main characteristic of this concept is continuous growth and rapid changes in the industry with high added value to its services and products.

Society 5.0

The main idea of Society 5.0 is to place society as the center of industry and not just focus on the industry itself. The latest developments in technology should be used as a catalyst to drive the general welfare of citizens that aims for a super-intelligent society.

Society 5.0 offers a human-centered society that strikes a balance between the economic progress of industry and the resolution of social problems. Cyberspace and the real world should be connected in a positive way that brings advantages to both parties.

Industrial Revolution 4.0 VS Society 5.0

On a bigger scale, the main difference between IR 4.0 and society 5.0 is the main focus of the concept. The IR focuses more on the technology of the industry, while society 5.0 focuses more on humans.

To break it down, take a look at the pillars of each concept. The industrial concept 4.0 was based on six pillars, where each pillar has a positive impact on the economy. The pillars are digital society, sustainable energy, intelligent mobility, healthy living, civil security, and technology at work. To build the pillars, advanced information and communication technology is a must. That is why the internet, sensors, IoT, smartphones, and fiber connections have become a daily part of human life and have shaped the way we live today.

Next is the Society 5.0 concept. This concept is based on previous societies or previous ways of life. It looks back to the hunting era, the agricultural time, the industrial time, the information era (roughly referring to the IR time right now), and the fifth era, where offline and online worlds collaborate. It means that society 5.0 is a society in which cyberspace and the real physical world coexist in a sustainable manner (a super-intelligent society).

IR 4.0 is the era where knowledge and intelligence are gained by humans with the help of technology. Society 5.0 is the era where knowledge and intelligence will come from technology at the service of people. The technology here refers to artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, and robotics. The technology generates automation and covers many aspects of human competence, including cognitive skills.

The Example of Industrial Revolution 4.0 and Society 5.0

Some examples to show the difference between Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0 are:

  1. Industry 4.0 focuses on how to automate the job, while society 5.0 focuses on how to optimize work hours to finish the task.
  2. Industry 4.0 focuses on the automatic machine’s effectiveness while society 5.0 focuses on how to optimize human knowledge with the help of artificial intelligence.
  3. Industry 4.0 focuses on computerized systems, whereas society 5.0 focuses on people focuses on how to finish the task faster with the help of machines for the sake of humans.

To summarize, Society 5.0 did not prioritize the economy and technology advancement for certain parties only. It seeks to benefit the entire society. The change from industry 4.0 to society 5.0 starts with working together and creating the same vision of better social welfare using the available technology.

Furthermore, the implementation of the IR is widespread troughout the world. To support the IR 4.0, several industrial areas and smart cities are developed, including Subang Smartpolitan. 

As the name implies, Subang Smartpolitan is an integrated township development with a smart and sustainable concept that implement IoT based technology in every aspect. The digital integration works to improve the city’s community well-being. In essence, Subang Smartpolitan runs on the concept of IR 4.0 and aims for society 5.0 in the near future.

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