Academic seminar on "Fourth Industrial Revolution and its impact on World development"

On April 7, 2022 the Methodological Council of the University of World Economy and Diplomacy arranged the academic discussion on “Fourth Industrial Revolution and its impact on World development” with opening remarks by the First Deputy Chairman of the Senate of Uzbekistan, Rector of UWED and Head of UWED Methodological Council S. Safoev.

In the main part of the event as key speakers A. Atabekov, Director of Research Institute of Digital Technologies and Artificial Intelligence under the Ministry for Development of Information technologies and communications of the Republic of Uzbekistan, with his report entitled as “Artificial Intelligence as driver of Industry 4.0”, and R. Makhmudov, Assistant Professor at the Department of “Applied analysis of international affairs”, IR Faculty, UWED, with his report on “Fourth Industrial Revolution: the political-and-economic review”  shared their views on the announced issue.

In his report and presentation R.Makhmudov delineated following key dimensions of various waves of industrial revolutions as: (i) the specifics of industrial revolutions I-IVth; (ii) main energy sources inherent in/to each revolution (mainly oil, coal, gas, water, and nuclear energy), crucial innovations (from the steam engine, lathes and milling-machines, steam locomotive and railways, electric and electromagnetic telegraph, internal combustion engine, automobile, and electrification to microprocessors and PCs, industrial robots, nuclear energy, the Internet, AI, “green” energy and, even, thermonuclear/fusion energy) and the exact/relevant date and timing of inventions; (iii) technological zones, their structure (comprised from technological metropolitan power, sphere of influence, and means of ‘keeping in’ the sphere of influence), the history and struggle among technological zones (for ex., British, German, American, Japanese, Soviet one in the fullness of its time); (iv) determinants of Chinese technological zone`s emergence. In concluding part of his speech author particularly referred to the dilemma of “labor demand/workforce” (creating new jobs) during the 4^th industrial revolution.

In his presentation on “Artificial Intelligence as the driver of Industry 4.0” A.Atabekov featured the following: (i) components of Uzbekistan`s IT brand as human capital, IT exports, business support, and IT park residents; (ii) a brief description of the 4th industrial revolution in terms of automation, artificial intelligence, and IT structures; (iii) prospects for digital development of Uzbekistan expressed/identified in automation of government processes, integration of databases using machine learning and artificial intelligence; (iv) the opportunities and potential of Uzbekistan in its future transformation to IT capital with  demographic dividend, direct and profitable trade and cooperation ties with all markets of Central Asia, the CIS and Asia, IT visa, legislative and legal framework for IT, and enhancement of Uzbekistan`s IT Park infrastructure.

The closing part of the academic discussion was followed by the Q&A session, when participants of the event commented with critical views on raised issues and shared a realistic assessment of the topics under discussion.

Executive Secretary of UWED Methodological Council
Department of International Relations,
Senior Lecturer,
PhD, Muminova N.Ya.