Artificial intelligence at the heart of fifth industrial revolution

My contribution to an interview in the Irish Times https://www.irishtimes.com/special-reports/2023/07/20/artificial-intelligence-at-the-heart-of-fifth-industrial-revolution

Written by Barry McCall

The first three industrial revolutions took more than two centuries – now we’ve had two in a little over a decade. Such is the pace of technological advance that industry 4.0 is already becoming old hat and we are now seeing the adoption of industry 5.0, which will see humans working alongside advanced technology and AI-powered robots to enhance workplace processes.

“The basic premise behind Industry 4.0 was centred around enhanced efficiency through digital connectivity and artificial intelligence – organisations and business focused on delivering value through the deployment of new technologies, with the focus on minimising costs and maximising profit for shareholders,” explains Louise McEntee , partner in government and public services and head of intelligent automation at Deloitte.

“The fifth wave of the Industrial revolution requires that we not only leverage digital and artificial intelligence in isolation but that we start to explore how to drive competitiveness and sustainability, allowing industry to realise its potential as one of the pillars of transformation by taking a human-centric approach to technology.”

AI is at the heart of the new revolution. “In the factory, AI is already widely used in many different manufacturing processes and applications,” says David Smith, head of ecosystems with the Huawei SPO Lab, Ireland.

?“In industry 5.0 it is transforming industry by enhancing automation and efficiency. AI-powered systems can automate repetitive tasks, optimise processes and enable predictive analytics for better decision making. This can lead to increased efficiency, reduced costs and improved product quality. Moreover, AI can enable the development of smart products and services, such as autonomous vehicles, intelligent manufacturing systems and personalised customer experiences.”

Use cases are almost limitless. “In the manufacturing sector, AI can enhance productivity and efficiency by optimising production processes and enabling predictive maintenance so machinery can be fixed before it breaks down,” says Smith. “In the textile industry, AI can be utilised to automate the design process, improve quality control and optimise supply-chain management. AI-powered systems can generate unique designs based on customer preferences and market trends, improving the overall efficiency of the industry. In the food industry, AI can be applied to improve food safety, optimise production processes and develop innovative recipes.”

UCD Smurfit Graduate Business School associate professor Alessia Paccagnini points to other applications including intelligent automation. “Robots and machines that are driven by AI will be able to make decisions and change their behaviour on their own,” she says. “This will allow them to handle complex tasks and adapt to changing production environments. This will make the production process more flexible, adaptable and efficient.”

Quality control will also improve. “AI systems can look at data from cameras and sensors to find flaws in real time while a product is being made,” says Paccagnini. “This improves the standard of the product and makes it less likely that people will buy something that is broken.”

Ibec industry association Biopharmachem Ireland has brought together a consortium of companies to develop a roadmap to assist the small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) sector adopt industry 5.0. Led by J&J, the cluster includes leading API companies Janssen, Pfizer, MSD, Merck and Eli Lilly, among others.

“The project is supported by the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and Digital Manufacturing Ireland in Limerick,” says Biopharmachem Ireland director Matt Moran . “We worked with Irish company Innopharma who assessed the companies’ level of maturity in relation to industry 5.0. The companies are engaged in tangible projects like paperless manufacturing, putting in place systems to recycle solvents and using machine learning to improve the manufacturing process. We want to make manufacturing as cost efficient as possible, so it stays in Ireland. The idea is to take the learnings and bring them to the entire sector to make it more resilient and survivable into the future.”

Sustainability is critically important. “Industry 5.0 helps organisations reduce their carbon footprint by making processes more circular,” says Moran. “This will help to bring the industry in line with the EU Green Deal and Fit for 55.”

Smith says industry 5.0 prioritises environmental sustainability. “The increased use of renewable energy sources and improved energy efficiency in manufacturing processes can have a positive impact on the environment,” he points out. “This shift towards environmentally aware practices aligns with global efforts to mitigate climate change and reduce carbon emissions.”

Industry 5.0 encourages environmentally responsible and sustainable production methods, Paccagnini adds. “It is possible for Irish enterprises to lower their carbon footprint, contribute to a greener economy and achieve their sustainability goals if they optimise their energy use, reduce their waste and implement environmentally friendly practices provided by new technologies.”

Of course, there are fears that this latest AI-powered revolution will lead to the destruction of jobs. These concerns are not unfounded but may be overstated.

By giving routine work to machines, people can focus on higher-level tasks that involve creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence

—?Prof Alessia Paccagnini

“Human society has always evolved,” says McEntee. “With each significant technological shift – the age of the steam engine, the age of science and mass production, and the rise of digital technology – the world around us has fundamentally changed. Each time, that has meant radical changes to how we work. Work did not go away, however, but evolved to meet the needs of business, society and the individual.

“This fifth wave of technological development has enormous potential to truly put people at the centre of its design. We need to understand these new capabilities, how best to centre them around people and their needs, and to address their concerns to design and legislate for ‘bad actors’, as with any new technology. But the possibilities for what we can do with this, and the potential benefits are enormous.”

It is a matter of change rather than destruction, according to Paccagnini. “Industry 5.0 is all about improving people’s skills and knowledge by automating boring and repetitive chores,” she says. “This is how jobs are changing. By giving routine work to machines, people can focus on higher-level tasks that involve creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence. Because of this, jobs are changed instead of going away.”