The CESMII team and ecosystem is widely represented in the latest “Who’s Who in Industry 4.0 Top 50 Influencers to Follow” rankings released March 21, 2023 by Onalytica.
Whenever we talk about Industry 4.0 – we all need to talking about the same thing. Industry 4.0 is the moniker given to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. And as its name implies, it is a revolution or fundamental shift in the way the entire industry operates, and the way people work – resulting in a complete change in society.
This term was most famously introduced in 2011 at Hannover Fair as part of the German High-Tech Strategy, and since then it has taken hold all across the world. However, there is no universally accepted or agreed upon definition, as it has taken on different meanings to different countries, agencies, academic groups, associations, and even companies. In fact, we can’t even all agree on what technologies are included as part of Industry 4.0. This means it is up to every company to come up with their own definition and strategy to figure out how to take advantage of all the new transformative technologies collectively to thrive in this transformative time we are living in right now.
That being said, here is a simple way to describe the concept: Industry 3.0 is about Automation – the reduction of human intervention in processes. Industry 4.0 is about cognition, or the process of acquiring knowledge and understanding. These two are separated by the ability to properly capture and harness the power of data. Digital Transformation can be thought of as the journey and strategy to get to vision of Industry 4.0.
Regardless of your definition, Industry 4.0 is a complex and multifaced concept, which makes it difficult for a lot of people to fully understand or appreciate. Not only does it involve technical complexity by spanning such a wide range of advanced technologies, but it also includes a rapidly evolving landscape and requires a unique ability to navigate the difference between ambiguity and hype.
This list highlights the Top 50 thought leaders and influencers who drove the most engagement on the topic of Industry 4.0 over a six month period across LinkedIn & Twitter. They are helping to define, elucidate, advance, and educate the industry around making Industry 4.0 a reality. These people not only have deep domain expertise, but also have a visionary outlook, collaborative mindset, and incredible communication skills to simplify complex topics.