New technologies are needed to restructure the industrial structure, and there is a perception that there is no tangible reality other than AI and drones.

We are currently discussing the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This is because it is a new industrial revolution following the computer and internet-based knowledge and information revolution (the Third Revolution). However, there is much debate surrounding the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Arguments range from claims that it is merely a concept created by importing a term rarely used abroad and presenting it as a grand strategy, to calls for a new "revolution" befitting new technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. The reason for such a commotion over a single concept is likely that we are standing at a turning point in our industry. Accordingly, E4ds News selected the "Fourth Industrial Revolution" as the subject for the second installment of its [Survey Series]. We aimed to explore what the concept of the Fourth Industrial Revolution entails and what technologies are needed to keep pace with it. This survey was conducted for approximately three weeks, from July 10 to July 28, with a total of 114 industry professionals, including engineers and managers, participating. <Editor's Note>

There are various definitions of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, such as technological innovation driven by intelligent information technology, the integration of digital into human daily life, and an era in which the real and virtual are integrated and objects can be intelligently controlled through robots and artificial intelligence (AI). Then, what is the reality of the Fourth Industrial Revolution?

While the Fourth Industrial Revolution is seen as timely and necessary in the current domestic situation, it appears that concerns are being raised regarding the unclear and lack of concrete entities responsible for leading the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

While the Fourth Industrial Revolution is considered a timely concept, there are concerns regarding the unclear leadership role.

It was found that the concept of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is considered necessary for the restructuring of the industrial structure centered on artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and big data (34.52%), and because it is time for new technologies following the Internet information revolution (20.24%).

Other reasons included the need for a shift toward a new manufacturing-centered industrial environment (17.46%) and the need to serve as an opportunity to awaken a national sense of crisis regarding future growth engines (15.08%).

According to a recent survey on the Fourth Industrial Revolution conducted by this magazine (The much-talked-about and problematic Fourth Industrial Revolution, Is This for Real?), when asked what they think about the Fourth Industrial Revolution, 55.9% responded that it is a timely concept considering the current state of domestic industries, 27.12% said it is an opportunity to motivate the development of domestic industries, 9.32% said it is a fictitious concept created by the media and the government, and 7.63% said it is merely a marketing term without substance.

Regarding the reasons for considering it a fictitious concept, the most frequent response (28.98%) was that it had not undergone sufficient discussion with stakeholders and related industries. The opinion that it has no substance other than artificial intelligence, drones, and big data also accounted for 27.84%. This was followed by responses stating that there would be no notable productivity improvements after the information and communication revolution (21.59%), that WEF Chairman Klaus Schwab's proposal was an overinterpretation (11.36%), and that it is merely a unilateral, government-led development strategy.


Technological innovations advocating the Fourth Industrial Revolution are underway in major countries. When asked which country's model is similar to Korea's reality and serves as a reference, respondents answered that Germany's Industry 4.0, which is pursuing the standardization of smart factory processes based on manufacturing, is the most appropriate. This is analyzed to be because 50% of the domestic industry is manufacturing.

Next were Japan's Society 5.0 (23.73%), which leads technological innovation using artificial intelligence, robots, and big data, and the U.S. Digital Transformation (20.34%), where companies drive industrial development through big data. China's Made in China 2025, which strengthens investment in robots and artificial intelligence through the Internet Plus strategy, came in at 5.08%.

Big data and user-centric devices cited as areas to focus on for industrial development

The opinion that big data should be utilized for industrial development (38.14%) accounted for the highest number of responses to the question of what area our country should focus on most. This was followed by opinions on user-centric devices (21.19%) and environments for connecting devices (21.19%), while 16.95% of respondents indicated that the focus should be on the security industry targeting people, objects, and businesses.

While the response that the focus should be on the security industry was the least frequent, cyber terrorism (27.9%) was found to be the biggest concern when assuming the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution arrives. Other concerns included polarization due to technological levels (26.27%), worries about jobs being replaced by artificial intelligence or robots (16.95%), and the risks of artificial intelligence (15.25%).

While big data emerged as an industry to focus on, the Internet of Things (21.53%) was the most frequently cited technology to lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This appears to indicate that IoT technology for collecting data must take precedence. This was followed by artificial intelligence (20.44%), manufacturing-based smart factories (18.26%), cloud and big data (15.80%), autonomous vehicles (10.35%), AR/VR (10.35%), and drones and aviation (4.09%).

Accept a robot boss, but limited to work-related matters
Robot Mechanism Development Engineer was selected as the most promising job.

The issue of jobs resulting from technological advancements was also raised. In a previous survey on artificial intelligence, 64% of respondents answered affirmatively to the question of whether AI would replace jobs. In preparation for these concerns, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced the 'National Technical Qualification Reform Plan for the Fourth Industrial Revolution' and identified the jobs expected to be the most promising in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Robot Mechanism Development Engineer (31.36%) was the most common, followed by 3D Printer Development Industrial Engineer (17.80%), Medical Information Analyst (14.41%), Fuel Cell Energy Production Technology Engineer (13.56%), Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Engineer (8.47%), Environmental Risk Management Engineer (4.24%), and Disaster Prevention Engineer (2.54%). In addition, respondents indicated that industries related to data analysis, security management, and artificial intelligence would be advantageous.


When asked whether they would accept a robot as a boss in the future due to technological advancements, 77.97% answered that they would, while 22.03% answered that they would not. Among those who said they would accept it, 50% indicated that they would only accept it for work-related matters. This suggests that they place importance on accurate judgment based on data when handling tasks.