In 1804, James Watt invented the steam engine, enabling the world to move parts of machines at much more rapid speeds by converting energy from fossil fuels into kinetic energy. That gave rise to many more machines, including high-speed vehicles and greatly efficient mining equipment. All these changes of the former half of the nineteenth century and the latter half of the eighteenth collectively constitute the first industrial revolution. Then came the second industrial revolution in the first half of the twentieth century. It allowed science to be applied to the industries that had already been revolutionized in the previous revolution, greatly increasing efficiency.
Then came the digital revolution of the late twentieth century, which, as the name suggests, brought with it everything information technology-related, including but not limited to the microchip, the personal computer, the laptop, and the smartphone. Alongside the hardware mentioned in the previous sentence, the digital revolution also brought to us software such as Microsoft OS and Android as well as communication networks such as the Internet.
By this time, you would have gained a significant idea about what is meant by the term Industrial Revolution. It is basically a wave of innovations that took place in a relatively short period. But you still may be confused as to why we did not mention the Fourth Industrial Revolution – the most talked-about out of all the industrial revolutions currently.
Well, we did not talk about it because we are currently living in it, and to describe such a developing story within two sentences would be a gross oversimplification. However, it is still important for all of us to know what this revolution is considering it is being discussed so much. And this is exactly why we will be detailing the most important features of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
But before doing so, let us tell you that you would not be able to fully benefit from the technologies coming out in the fourth wave if you do not have quality internet. This is why we would recommend subscribing to Xfinity Internet plans, considering Xfinity is known to provide top-tier connections.
Without further ado, let us delve into the inventions associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is taking over the world. You hear about it all the time. The latest big news in the world of artificial intelligence is ChatGPT. ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence writing tool. It is so good that students have started using it to write papers. In addition to writing content, ChatGPT is also able to write Macros and formulas in Microsoft Excel. ChatGPT also gives very accurate answers to search queries. In fact, it is so good at it that the existence of the search engine giant, Google, is threatened by it. Talking about Google, in his blog post following the layoff of 12000 people from his company, the company’s Chief Executive Officer – Sundar Pichai – said that his company is seeking to further enhance its research in the field of artificial intelligence. The fact that AI was part of the reason why a global tech giant laid off so many people is a testament to the fact that AI is now a big thing on our planet. Now, obviously, ChatGPT is not the only application of AI in the world. Besides ChatGPT, there are also other applications of AI. One of the most exciting of them is the autonomous car. Another application of artificial intelligence is deepfake. What this term entails is the production of fake videos and audios of people that seem real.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality is another facet of the fourth industrial revolution. What virtual reality basically means is that you are taken into an alternate reality. The primary application of virtual reality is in the field of gaming. Just imagine how cool it would be if you were playing Call of Duty and virtual reality made you feel like you were actually in a warzone. Yet another application of virtual reality could be the technology making you feel like you are with a loved one when you are not. In fact, dating sites like Flirtual exist that facilitate dating in virtual reality. However, this kind of site shows you the other person as an avatar. But that does not mean we cannot be interacting with people in their real forms in our lives through virtual reality. This brings us to the next big thing in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Deepfake + Virtual Reality
The intersection of the above two platforms is what can make people think they are with someone else in their actual form when they are not. Here is how this technology works: deepfake gives you good enough visuals that seem real and virtual reality will make you think that you are actually in physical proximity to those visuals. Isn’t that cool? Like you, we cannot wait for this type of technology to come out!
Wrapping Up
Even though the aforementioned three inventions are the ones that excite us the most, we would be lying if we said that the above three innovations are the only ones from the Fourth Industrial Revolution that are going to bring major changes in our lives. In fact, there are many others that are expected to create waves. An example of such tech innovation is 5G. So, our recommendation would be to keep reading more on the topic.
