On December 1st, the “2017 China Manufacturing Thousand People’s Association†took place in Tianjin, focusing on the theme of “Promoting Advanced Manufacturing to Industrial Intelligence.†During the event, Wang Mingfen, deputy dean of the Industry 4.0 Research Institute, delivered a keynote speech titled “AI2.0 Redefining Smart Manufacturing.†Following the session, she also welcomed a visit from top industry representatives.
**Made in China 2025 and Industry 4.0**
Currently, China has developed and launched its national strategy, “Made in China 2025,†which aims to transform the country into a global manufacturing leader. But how does this strategy connect with Germany’s Industry 4.0? President Wang provided insightful perspectives on this matter.
“Made in China 2025 is China’s national strategy, while Industry 4.0 represents Germany’s national approach to advanced manufacturing. These two strategies, driven by their respective governments, are both competitive and collaborative. I believe they represent an international concept of simultaneous development.â€
With every industrial upgrade comes transformation. In the context of the fourth industrial revolution, what disruptive technologies will emerge, and how will they reshape consumption and daily life? President Wang elaborated further on these topics.
“If something is truly disruptive, it must be a universal technology—what we call GPT. While industrialization has been ongoing for decades and progress is accelerating, we are currently in a large-scale production phase. It’s challenging to significantly boost efficiency or reduce costs through a single technological breakthrough. However, the expansion of big data and artificial intelligence has become more widespread, extending beyond manufacturing into the consumer sector. I believe that in the fourth industrial revolution, artificial intelligence is essential. Though AI may be more advanced in consumer and financial applications, its integration with digitization and cloud computing in manufacturing can ultimately reshape societal productivity and create new technological disruptions.â€
**Current Technical Challenges in Industry 4.0**
As industries move toward Industry 4.0, what technical challenges remain, and how might they be addressed in the future? Dean Wang offered a detailed analysis.
“Industry 4.0 is a long-term, forward-looking strategy. When Germany introduced it in 2013, it wasn’t expected to be fully implemented so soon. Its vision is to achieve intelligent services across society. Technically, the main challenge lies in the lack of specific applications that can be universally applied across different sectors. Currently, various industries still operate with distinct technologies and knowledge systems, lacking a unified operational framework that connects production to final consumption. Germany itself has published reports such as ‘The World of Intelligent Services’ to explore these issues.â€
“At this stage, Industry 4.0 is still not fully mature—not only due to technical limitations but also because of business model considerations. The cost of adopting new technologies and the potential profits they generate need to be carefully evaluated.â€
**Smart Manufacturing: Replacing or Liberating?**
What happens when artificial intelligence becomes a general-purpose technology in the manufacturing industry? Will it replace human labor? President Wang shared her thoughts on the future of AI development.
“Artificial intelligence primarily enables data processing. Its application in the consumer sector differs from that in the industrial field. Industrial environments involve physical devices that generate real-world data, requiring mapping and integration with those devices. This leads to better efficiency and optimization throughout the supply chain.â€
Regarding whether AI will replace humans, there is already a general consensus in the industry. “Currently, AI is not smarter than humans. It may perform better in certain tasks like calculations and operations, but it lacks true intelligence. Therefore, it is unlikely to completely replace human workers.â€
“The question of whether machines will replace people has a clear answer: no. Whether it's Industry 4.0, smart manufacturing, or digital manufacturing, the focus remains on people. Technology should make work more efficient, replacing only repetitive, mechanical, or physically demanding jobs. This is a form of liberation. With an aging global workforce, our technologies won’t cause job crises; instead, they will eliminate some roles while creating new, more valuable opportunities. Ultimately, it’s about advancing and liberating human potential.â€
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