Try free for 30 days

Preview

1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Shaping the Future of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

By: Klaus Schwab, Nicholas Davis
Narrated by: Nicholas Guy Smith
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $26.99

Buy Now for $26.99

Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.

Publisher's Summary

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Shaping the Future of the Fourth Industrial Revolutionby Klaus Schwab and Nicholas Davis, read by Nicholas Guy Smith.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is changing everything - from the way we relate to each other, to the work we do, the way our economies work, and what it means to be human. We cannot let the brave new world that technology is currently creating simply emerge. All of us need to help shape the future we want to live in. But what do we need to know and do to achieve this?

In Shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Klaus Schwab explores how people from all backgrounds and sectors can influence the way that technology transforms our world. Drawing on contributions by more than 200 of the world's leading technology, economic and sociological experts to present a practical guide for citizens, business leaders, social influencers and policy-makers this book outlines the most important dynamics of the technology revolution, highlights important stakeholders that are often overlooked in our discussion of the latest scientific breakthroughs, and explores 12 different technology areas central to the future of humanity.

Emerging technologies are not predetermined forces out of our control, nor are they simple tools with known impacts and consequences. The exciting capabilities provided by artificial intelligence, distributed ledger systems and cryptocurrencies, advanced materials and biotechnologies are already transforming society. The actions we take today - and those we don't - will quickly become embedded in ever-more powerful technologies that surround us and will, very soon, become an integral part of us.

By connecting the dots across a range of often-misunderstood technologies, and by exploring the practical steps that individuals, businesses and governments can take, Shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution helps equip readers to shape a truly desirable future at a time of great uncertainty and change.

©2018 Klaus Schwab & Nicholas Davis (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Critic Reviews

The world has fast entered a data and technology-driven era where new opportunities but also challenges are emerging. In this book, Klaus Schwab and the World Economic Forum contribute significantly to one of the most important issues of our time - how to move forward in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Jack Ma)
It's no secret that technologies are reshaping the world's economies and societies. To manage the risks and spread the benefits, we have to act now, and in the interest of stakeholders everywhere (Andrew McAfee)
Shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution sheds light on what's at stake for society and how leaders can play a part in shaping the course of history. Klaus makes a powerful call in the book: "We have to shake things up before technological inertia determines our future for us." Act now. (Zhu Min)

What listeners say about Shaping the Future of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    6
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Formal to many, informal to those in the know.

Great summary of the topics, opportunities, issues and ethical dilemmas that we face in the years ahead.
Does a good job opening up past and current vulnerabilities and unethical situations that got us here and broadly implements good demonstrated models of how to approach each area.
highly recommended to those who aren't so up to date with the latest tech, economic, sustainable, social etc. development.

However what I did like was the way it was simplified, and brought all the modern industrial opportunities and how overall this would create such change. There are so many in these fields only focusing on invocation and finance where that should never always be the root cause, it is the welfare of everyone to have an equal opportunity who and wherever they are in this industrialised progress forward.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Terrifying

The future if left up to these people will be bland and joyless, devoid of human physical interaction. They'd see us tracked and traced. Everything in our daily lives monitored in the name of progress. That's not progress, that's dystopian.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Mediocre

Maybe it's the time and the success of the author's foresight, but as 2023 rolls around, everything here just seems a little unremarkable.

I thought it would be worth getting some insight into this influential & controversial figure. But there wasn't anything controversial, or even really insightful here.
I'm left a little disappointed and wondering whether there was something Klaus wanted to say but couldn't, or just tried to take on so much that each topic felt a bit like a foot note. Like trying to follow a mad, genius scientist working madly away on some new theory he can't seem to explain to anyone.

Almost the entire length could be rewritten with the formula:
-Introduce new world changing technology A
-Explain the potential (but usually fairly obvious) ways this technology will affect society and industrial.
-Leave off by saying people, policy makers and industry should think about how it will effect them and prepare.

Almost every topic seems to end with not suggestions or insight, but just the suggestion that everyone needs to think about it.

I know it sounds a bit harsh and maybe there is more here for others who aren't as familiar with some of the technologies mentioned, but I didn't really feel like I gained any insight from this, which would seem to be the purpose of the text. Undoubtedly, Klaus knows his subject, but somehow it felt a little rushed and shallow, like he was holding his real insights back.

I would recommend "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" for something more insightful, despite being a much older book. This might be worth a read though if you're not very familiar with recent tech or just want a bit of peak into Klaus's mind.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.