The Fourth Industrial Revolution, also known as Industry 4.0, is the term for how new technologies (AI, IoT, robotics, and Big Data) have transformed and propelled industrial processes. The impact of its adoption is reflected in productivity through automation and predictive equipment maintenance.
What does Industry 4.0 entail?
Industry 4.0 involves adopting new digital technologies to transform various aspects of industrial processes. It enables optimizing productivity, transforming products, and improving the production chain. The technology greatly impacts cost savings by helping to prevent significant losses and improve quality. Additionally, it can optimize resource utilization, incorporate digital twins (digitized versions of industrial spaces), and enhance transportation logistics.
Digitalization entered the industrial sector in 20141, ushering in the era of smart factories and remote plant management. However, the concept of Industry 4.0 was formally introduced in 2016 by Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, in his book “The Fourth Industrial Revolution.”2
Some of the key technologies of this industrial revolution include:
- Advance sensors.
- Internet of Things (IoT).
- Robotics applied to data analysis.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI).
All of these tools have contributed to shaping a data- and knowledge-based economy.
The Importance of Industry 4.0
The impact of these technologies on industrial production has been so profound that, in the words of Nuria Oliver3, a Ph.D. in AI from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology:
“The country that masters Artificial Intelligence will lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”
For this reason, global powers have developed a keen interest in advancing in these areas to enhance their competitiveness. In this regard, China and the United States have emerged as primary investors.
As a result, many business models owe their success to various AI applications. Examples include Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft in the United States and Ant Financial, Alibaba, and Tencent in China.
Industry 4.0 in Mexico
Mexico has actively embraced these advancements. As of 2023, even industries traditionally perceived as conventional, such as agriculture and manufacturing, have begun reaping the advantages of incorporating these technologies.
Within the agricultural sector, numerous startups within the country employ satellite imagery for the acquisition and analysis of data related to soil conditions, weather patterns, and crop status. Consequently, they have gained the ability to foresee pest infestations, mitigate irrigation deficiencies, and thwart theft of essential inputs.
Likewise, companies like CEMEX have implemented AI in the manufacturing sector to comprehensively streamline logistics processes and realize significant cost reductions. Through this measure, the company optimized transportation routes, reduced fuel consumption, and lowered CO? emissions associated with its activities.
The challenges it brings
However, these advances also bring new difficulties for the industrial sector. In this regard, businessman and digital marketing specialist Manuel Trevilla4 recognizes that digitalization at this level entails challenges:
- A strong initial investment.
- Greater need for personnel training.
- Drastic changes in the mode of operation.
However, due to the benefits it represents for all industries, this transformation – capable of positioning the Mexican economy among the most competitive in industrial production – is worth all the costs.Faced with this panorama, at Advance Real Estate, we provide the Mexican industry with industrial spaces according to the needs of its in-person operations and in the digital world.
Information source.
- www.telefonica.com/es/…/industria-4-0-la-cuarta-revolucion-industrial-ya-esta-en-marcha
- www.amazon.com.mx/cuarta-revoluci%C3%B3n-industrial-Klaus-Schwab/…/6073154755
- www.rtve.es/play/…/5518139
- www.elfinanciero.com.mx/manuel-trevilla-fenomenos-digitales/…/los-cambios-que-traera-la-i
