The Fourth Industrial Revolution has arrived. Comments on Moll (S Afr J Sci. 2023;119(1/2), Art. #12916)

Abstract

Significance:
This Commentary is a response to Moll (S Afr J Sci. 2023;119(1/2), Art. #12916) who refutes the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and its impact. As this Commentary demonstrates, there is a case to be made that the 4IR constitutes a revolution and that the limitation at the level of pure technology can be refuted as a revolution is based on its wider impact. While the 4IR can be classified as an evolution of the Third Industrial Revolution, its scale, scope and complexity denote a revolution of its own.