Industry 4.0 and 5.0, Literacy 4.0, Education 4.0, and Society 5.0: The Future is Here

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By Lilian H. Hill

Industry 4.0, Literacy 4.0, Education 4.0, and Society 5.0 are interrelated concepts, all depicting changes in industry, literacy, education, and society. The nomenclature is reminiscent of technology version updates.

Industry 4.0 is based on the idea that we are experiencing a fourth industrial revolution fundamentally altering how we live, work, and relate to one another. The first industrial revolution was based on steam power, the second on electricity, the third on automated production and digital technologies, and the fourth on a “fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres” (Schwab, 2015, p. 8). Technological inventions will prompt profound shifts in how business is conducted, change ways people communicate, and reshape how government, education, healthcare, and transportation operate. Schwab (2015) commented that the changes are “historic in their size, speed, and scope” (p. 2). Improved automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and continued technological improvements will have a pervasive influence on workers, businesses, and society. Industry 4.0, also known as 4IR, is characterized as the manufacturing technology transforming global business practices. de Boer et al. (2022)  identified four foundational types of disruptive technologies:

1.  connectivity, data, and computational power: cloud technology, the Internet, blockchain, sensors.

2.  analytics and intelligence: advanced analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence. 

3.  human–machine interaction: virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), robotics and automation, autonomous guided vehicles.

4.  advanced engineering: additive manufacturing (such as, 3-D printing), renewable energy, nanoparticles. (para. 4)

Industry 5.0 will shift the focus from economic value to a focus on societal value and shift the focus from welfare to well-being. Kraaijenbrink (2022) indicates that it has three core values: human-centric, resilient, and sustainable. It is congruent with Society 5.0, which is discussed later. 

 

Literacy 4.0 reflects the evolving nature of literacy in the context of Industry 4.0. Work has become more digitized and globally interconnected, meaning literacy practices are undergoing significant transformations. Farrell (2019) conceptualizes Literacy 4.0 as a “core social technology of work that is changing as rapidly and radically as the digital technologies that are reshaping work, workers and working” (para. 8). In addition to traditional literacy skills, Literacy 4.0 encompasses a range of skills and competencies required to navigate the complexities of the fourth industrial revolution. Its development ensures individuals can thrive in the rapidly changing technological landscape that defines our current and future societies. Effective participation in work means engaging with advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), the Internet of Services (IoS), quantum computing, and biotechnology.

Literacy 4.0 competencies include digital literacy, data literacy, information literacy, media literacy, visual literacy, and technological literacy. However, mastering technological skills is only part of what individuals need to adapt to Industry 4.0. Other necessary competencies include critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration and communication, ethics and responsible use, and lifelong learning. To thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, individuals must ensure their employability through upskilling and reskilling. Upskilling means learning new skills as the requirements of their current position evolve. Reskilling refers to retraining that will enable individuals to fill different types of positions with their current or a new employer. Literacy 4.0 competencies are vital for individuals to thrive in the rapidly evolving digital world, ensuring they can adapt to new job requirements, engage in lifelong learning, and participate fully in society.

Education 4.0 is viewed as crucial for developing skills to meet the demands of Industry 4.0. Education systems around the world are increasingly recognizing the importance of equipping students with Literacy 4.0 skills to prepare them for the future. Education 4.0 aims to teach competencies needed for the workplace, including mastering information and communication technologies, cross-cultural communication, innovation management, organizational learning, software and interface management, simulation systems, employee skill development, and creativity.

The challenges and opportunities presented by Industry 4.0 necessitate reevaluating educational models to ensure they equip students with the skills needed for future success. This involves integrating 21st-century skills frameworks into education systems, focusing on character, meta-learning, and the application of active learning strategies. Such approaches aim to develop competencies that enable individuals to solve complex problems and address social needs effectively​. Updating educational systems will mean incorporating new technologies, curriculum reorganization, and professional development (González-Pérez & Ramírez-Montoya, 2022). This will involve creating responsive educational models that ensure inclusive, equitable, and quality education while promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. The goal is to develop future skills through 21st-century skills frameworks, incorporating components of Education 4.0 that are largely oriented toward students but also need to address the needs of adults​​.

Society 5.0 envisages a "super-smart" society in which technology and AI play a central role, a concept that emphasizes the need for Literacy 4.0. and Education 4.0. This future society will require new forms of literacy that enable humans to communicate with each other and with technology and AI, necessitating skills in understanding technological principles, developing solutions, and collaborating effectively​​. The concept was introduced by Japan in 2016. Fukuyama (2018) explained that the goal of Society 5.0 is to create a human-centric society in which both economic development and the resolution of societal challenges are achieved, and people can enjoy a high quality of life that is fully active and comfortable. It is a society that will attend in detail to the various needs of people, regardless of region, age, sex, and language, by providing necessary items and services. The key to its realization is the fusion of cyberspace and the real world (physical space) to generate quality data and, from there, create new values and solutions to resolve challenges (p. 48).

Aberšek and Aberšek (2020) suggest that given human beings limited memory capacity and processing power compared to current technologies, the society of the future will be increasingly reliant on technology and artificial intelligence. Therefore, it will be vital for humans to understand technologies and artificial intelligence, communicate with one another, and effectively interface with technology and artificial intelligence.

Conclusion

I am of the generation when digital technologies were first introduced in the workplace. My first job required using punch cards for data entry and the computer took up a large office. Next, I learned word processing on a mainframe computer, then transferred that knowledge to a personal computer, using WordPerfect and then Microsoft Word. Now, more computing power is available in a smartwatch than in early mainframe computers. These changes occurred over decades, and there was adequate time to learn. In the future, technological innovations are occurring much more rapidly and require individuals to use advanced learning skills and educators to use adaptive pedagogical skills. Generative AI can address the global skills gap and make training more accessible to people through natural language commands. Adult learners and educators must engage with AI tools so that individuals, educational systems, and society adapt and thrive.

References

Aberšek and Aberšek, B. (2020). Society 5.0 and Literacy 4.0 for the 21^st century. Nova Publishers. https://doi.org/10.52305/ZJBJ8012

 de Boer, E., Ellingrud, K., Richter, G., & Swan, D. (2022, August 17). What are Industry 4.0, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and 4IR? Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-are-industry-4-0-the-fourth-industrial-revolution-and-4ir#/  

Farrell,  (2019). Workplace Literacy in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: The Literacy 4.0 Project. The University of Melbourne. Retrieved https://education.unimelb.edu.au/research/projects/workplace-literacy-in-the-fourth-industrial-revolution-the-literacy-4.0-project 

Fukuyama, M. (2018). Society 5.0: Aiming for a new human-centered society. Japan Spotlight. Retrieved soc_5.020200227-84216-1291i85-libre.pdf  

González-Pérez LI, Ramírez-Montoya MS. Components of Education 4.0 in 21st century skills frameworks: Systematic review. Sustainability, 2022, 14(3):1493. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031493 

Kraaijenbrink, J. (2022, May 24). What Is Industry 5.0 And How It Will Radically Change Your Business Strategy? Forbes. Retrieved https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeroenkraaijenbrink/2022/05/24/what-is-industry-50-and-how-it-will-radically-change-your-business-strategy/?sh=571c085620bd  

Schwab, K. (2015). The Fourth Industrial Revolution. World Economic Forum.