Emerging

Technologies and
Issues

Lecture 01
Dr. Qudrattullah Omerkhel
qudrattullah2014@[Link]

06/01/2025
Today’s Lecture
The Fourth Industrial Revolution

Emerging Technologies

Uneven Global Adoption of Industrial Revolutions

06/01/2025
Objectives
1. To understand the concept and impact of the Fourth Industrial
Revolution on various industries and societies.

2. To explore emerging technologies that drive the Fourth Industrial Revolution,

such as AI, IoT, blockchain, and robotics.

3. To analyze the factors contributing to the uneven global adoption of

industrial revolutions.

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Learning Outcomes
1. Define and explain the Fourth Industrial Revolution and its key
characteristics.

2. Identify and describe major emerging technologies shaping the future.

3. Evaluate the impact of these technologies on industries, economies,

and societies.

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The Fourth Industrial Revolution
The world is experiencing a technological revolution.

It is transforming how we live, work, and interact.

The speed, scale, and complexity are unprecedented.

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Speed of Innovation
🚀 Rapid Innovation & Adoption

Disruptors like Airbnb, Uber, and Alibaba became household names within years.

The iPhone (2007) led to 2 billion smartphones by 2015.

Autonomous cars (Google, 2010) are now close to mainstream adoption.

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Scale & Economic Impact 📈
🔹 Comparing Traditional vs. Digital Economy

📍 Detroit (1990) vs. Silicon Valley (2014)

Detroit (1990) Silicon Valley (2014)

Market Cap $36B $1.09T
Revenue $250B $247B
Employees 1.2M 137K

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The Fourth Industrial Revolution
Unlike any previous revolution in human history.

Driven by rapid technological advancements.

Fundamental shifts in economy, society, and culture.

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Emerging technology
Emerging technology refers to new and rapidly evolving innovations
that have the potential to significantly impact industries, societies,
and economies.

These technologies are often in the early stages of development and

adoption but show promise for transforming how we work,
communicate, and interact with the world.

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Key Technologies Driving
Change
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Robotics
Internet of Things (IoT)
Autonomous Vehicles
3D Printing
Nanotechnology
Biotechnology
Quantum Computing

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Unprecedented Connectivity
Billions of people connected via mobile devices.

Unmatched processing power, storage, and knowledge

access.

Rapid innovation across industries.

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Characteristics of the Fourth Industrial
Revolution

Velocity – Exponential growth, not linear.

Breadth & Depth – A mix of multiple technologies changing "what,"

"how," and "who we are.“

Systems Impact – Transforming industries, businesses, and societies

globally.

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Challenges & Uncertainty
How will these technologies develop?

What impact will they have on jobs

and economies?

Ethical and societal concerns.

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Historical Context
The term "revolution" denotes abrupt and radical change.

History has witnessed profound shifts triggered by

technological advancements.

These revolutions have shaped economic systems and social

structures.

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The Agrarian Revolution
Occurred around 10,000 years ago.

Enabled by the domestication of animals.

Improved food production, leading to population growth.

Resulted in urbanization and the rise of cities.

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The First Industrial Revolution (1760 -
1840)
Marked the transition from muscle power to mechanical power.

Key innovations: Steam engine and railroads, Britain's textile machine, and steal
manufacturing.

Led to mechanized production.

First industrial revolution take 120 years to spread outside Europe. Internet 10
years.

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The Second Industrial Revolution (Late 19th -
Early 20th Century)

Enabled mass production.

Key innovations: Electricity and the assembly line, car, Radio, TV,
Telephone, and airplane.

Revolutionized manufacturing and urban development.

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The Third Industrial Revolution (1960s
- 1990s)

Known as the Digital Revolution.

Key innovations: Semiconductors, personal computing, and the

internet.

Transformed communication and data processing.

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The Fourth Industrial Revolution (21st
Century -Present)

Builds on the digital revolution.

Characterized by mobile, AI, machine learning, IoT, sensors become

cheaper, and smart technology.

Described by MIT professors as "The Second Machine Age".

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Industry 4.0 & Smart Factories
"Industry 4.0" coined in Germany (2011) at the Hannover Fair.

Enables "smart factories" with virtual and physical system

integration.

Allows global, flexible cooperation in manufacturing.

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Beyond Machines – Wider Scope of the
Fourth Revolution

Covers diverse fields: Gene sequencing, nanotechnology,

renewables, quantum computing.

Fusion of technologies across physical, digital, and biological

domains.

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Uneven Global Adoption of Industrial
Revolutions
1.3 billion people (17% of the world) still lack electricity (Second Industrial Revolution)
(2016).

More than 4 billion people lack internet access (Third Industrial Revolution) (2016).

Approximately 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa still lack access to electricity (2021).

An estimated 2.6 billion people globally remain offline, highlighting a substantial digital
divide (2023).

By contrast, the internet spread globally in less than a decade.

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Goals of This Discussion

Increase awareness of the revolution's speed and impact.

Provide a framework for understanding and responding to change.

Governments, businesses, academia, and civil society must collaborate.

Shared understanding is critical for shaping a better future.

Common values and objectives must guide progress.

Encourage cooperation between public and private sectors.

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Conclusion
Technology and society must evolve together.

We are not powerless—we can shape the future.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution offers opportunities and challenges.

Each industrial revolution has transformed society and the economy.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is accelerating change faster than ever before.

Future implications include ethical, economic, and technological challenges.

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Conclusion
All education is about learn, to think, it’s about learning to solve problems.

30 years ago, now or 30 years from now is same.

The technology changes over time, but if you learn how to solve problems, you
are going to do great things.

Let’s work together to create a better future!

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Summary of Today’s Lecture
The Fourth Industrial Revolution

Emerging technologies

Uneven Global Adoption of Industrial Revolutions

06/01/2025
Thank You
FOR YOUR PATIENCE