Includes bibliographical references (pages 251-266).

Section 1: The Fourth Industrial Revolution. Framing the Fourth Industrial Revolution ; Connecting the dots ; Embedding values in technologies ; A human rights-based framework ; Empowering all stakeholders -- Section 2: Technologies, opportunities and disruption. 2.1 Extending digital technologies. New computing technologies ; Blockchain and distributed ledger technologies ; The Internet of Things ; Highlight on data ethics ; Cyber risks -- 2.2 Reforming the physical world. Artificial intelligence and robotics ; Advanced materials ; Additive manufacturing and multidimensional printing ; The upside and downside of drones -- 2.3 Altering the human being. Biotechnologies ; Neurotechnologies ; Virtual and augmented realities ; A perspective on arts, culture, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution -- 2.4 Integrating the environment. Energy capture, storage and transmission ; Geoengineering ; Space technologies -- Conclusion: what you can do to shape the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Today, technology is changing everything--how we relate to one another, the way we work, how our economies and goverments function, and even what it means to be human. One need not look hard to see how the incredible advances in artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies, biotechnologies, and the internet of things are transforming society in unprecedented ways. But the Fourth Industrial Revolution is just beginning, says Schwab. And at a time of such tremendous uncertainty and such rapid change, he argues it's our actions as individuals and leaders that will determine the trajectory our future will take. We all have a responsibility--as citizens, businesses, and institutions--to work with the current of progress, not against it, to build a future that is ethical, inclusive, sustainable and prosperous. Drawing on contributions from 200 top experts in fields ranging from machine learning to geoengineering to nanotechnology, to data ethics, Schwab equips readers with the practical tools to leverage the technologies of the future to leave the world better, safer, and more resilient than we found it.