‘HYPER-CONNECTIVITY’ NEEDS STEADY LEARNING
At the annual Google DevFest held in Mandaue during the weekend, IT professionals, entrepreneurs, and students were challenged to keep on learning to make the most of the fourth industrial revolution, one rich in data, collaboration, and smart factories where machines ‘talk’ to other machines.
An executive in one of the largest IT outsourcing companies in the country has challenged young Filipino developers to “reskill” to thrive in “Industry X.0.”
In a conference attended by information technology professionals, students, and entrepreneurs, Accenture Philippines digital lead JP Palpallatoc highlighted Industry X.0 or the fourth industrial revolution and how it poses challenges and opportunities to businesses and workers.
Characterized by highly intelligent connected systems that create a fully digital value chain enabled by the Internet of Things (IoT), this wave is disrupting industrial companies and their employees today, Palpallatoc said.
“We are creating a hyperconnected world... Digitalization is accelerating the shift in industry exponentially,” the executive said during the Google DevFest and GDayX in JCenter Mall in Mandaue City last Saturday.
An Accenture report sums up industrial waves this way: Industry 1.0 took place during the 18th century when mechanical production was primarily powered by water and steam. Next, industry 2.0 in the 20th century was marked by mass production based on division of labor and powered by electrical energy. Third, industry 3.0 saw the widespread use of electronics and IT for the further automation of production starting in the 1970s.
The most recent industrial wave, meanwhile, adopts the “connected everything” approach, centered on users and their experiences. For companies, it is about generating new models and revenues for the business, said Palpallatoc.
“Self-steering sensor and actuator networks control mechanical activities. Social media drives new ways of collaboration within and beyond the organization. And data velocity technologies enable real-time decision-making based on analytics,” Accenture said.
“Industry X.0 is based on cyber-physical production systems that combine communications, IT, data, and physical elements,” the Accenture report said. “These systems transform traditional plants into smart factories. Here, machines ‘talk’ to products and other machines, objects de- liver decision-critical data, and information is processed and distributed in real time, resulting in profound changes to the entire industrial ecosystem.”
In an Accenture-led survey participated in by 1,000 executives worldwide, Palpallatoc said that 99 percent said they have to “go digital” to leverage the core of their businesses. About 92 percent said they want to deliver new experiences using smart and connected products, and 64 percent admitted that failure to go digital will cause them to struggle for survival.
“You need to learn new technologies and discover where industry X.0 can take you. You have a big part to play in this industry X.0 revolution,” he said.
He said the industry today requires coachable and trainable employees who can thrive in an age when changes can happen overnight. The Google DevFest was jointly organized by Google Developers Group Cebu and Google Business Group Cebu.