Luís Roberto Barroso
INTRODUCTION: THE DAWN OF THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
1. A BRAVE NEW WORLD
A new Industrial Revolution looms on the horizon. The first took place in the mid-18th century and was characterized by the use of steam as a source of energy. The second Industrial Revolution, spanning the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was defined by electricity and the internal combustion engine. The third, in the late 20th century, saw digital technology replacing analog, ushering in the Technological or Digital Revolution, marked by the universal use of personal computers, smartphones, and the Internet, connecting billions worldwide.5 Now, the fourth Industrial Revolution is beginning to permeate our lives, combining AI, bio-technology, and the pervasive use of the Internet. This creates an interconnected ecosystem that encompasses people, objects, and even pets, forming an Internet of Things and Senses.
In this unraveling world, new technologies can perform our simplest day-to-day activities as well as highly complex tasks. They can clean rooms, regulate temperatures, and soon may drive cars autonomously.7 These technologies promise to reenable lost bodily movements,8 provide more accurate medical diagnoses,9 overcome neurological deficiencies, expand cognitive abilities, 10create a person's “virtual twin,”11 and even reproduce a deceased individual12 and allow people to reunite with loved ones who have passed away.13 They offer care for the elderly,14 help find friends or ideal romantic partners,15 write texts in diverse languages,16 distribute welfare aid to the most vulnerable, and deliver essential public services to underprivileged areas.17 Additionally, they can predict crime and recidivism,18 improve environmental monitoring, help plan smart cities,19 estimate job applicants' performance, assess the likelihood of loan defaults, and foresee the development of serious illnesses,20 among other issues.
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