Making Sense of the Fourth Industrial Revolution: An Overview of the Potential Impact on Africa

Every new Industrial Revolution has affected the socioeconomic status of the participating countries in both positive and negative ways. For instance, the First Industrial Revolution, which was sparked by the development of the commercial steam engine, was led by Great Britain. This innovation not only changed how people connected and traveled but also paved the way for a lot more advancements in the industry. Throughout the Second Industrial Revolution, which saw a revolution in communication brought about by the invention of the telephone, the United States held a leading position. The Third Industrial Revolution was propelled by the Internet, the success of which can be attributed to the fact that it was designed as a public infrastructure technology rather than a proprietary one. Because the Internet was instrumental in fundamentally altering the world’s economic structure during the Third Industrial Revolution, when it was first introduced, it is believed that similar changes will occur with the introduction of the Internet of Things (IoT). The Fourth Industrial Revolution, as some have dubbed it, is being ushered in by innovative technologies and trends, including the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI). This chapter offers a thorough review of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and explores potential future effects that the Revolution might have on the African continent.