Society 5.0 addresses a number of key pillars: infrastructure, finance tech, healthcare, logistics and, of course, augmented intelligence.
Emerging from Industry 4.0, Society 5.0 can
be defined as, “A human-centred society that balances economic advancement with the resolution of social problems by a system that highly integrates cyberspace and physical
space.” The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) will significantly enhance human capabilities through the use of technologies such as the IoT, augmented intelligence, autonomous vehicles and additive manufacturing. Society 5.0 moves beyond the digitalisation of manufacturing across all levels of society and enables super-smart society with customised solutions. It will affect not only the way we work but also the way we live, potentially upending our way of life as we know it. Society 5.0 aims to tackle social problems whilst still allowing economic development, but controlled by humans, not machines. This means new public-private collaboration that enables governments to more effectively and efficiently partner with industry, academia and society to respond to challenges or unlock new potential. As with Industry 4.0, Society 5.0 is closely aligned with the attainment of the UN 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development. However, there are several hurdles to overcome before we can achieve Society 5.0 transformation. Government bodies need national strategies, legal systems must be fit for purpose, there must be significant advances in technological capabilities, improved knowledge and understanding of users, and, arguably most important of all, social acceptance. Pittsburgh is emerging as a key centre for robotics innovation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning having drawn some of the world’s leading companies in the AI and tech industries to create offices and headquarters within the region.
- William Peduto, Mayor of Pittsburgh, USA
- Christopher Martin, Director of Engineering, Research and Development, Robert Bosch, USA