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Blake, Wm. Saint Peter and Saint James with Dante and Beatrice and with Saint John Also. 1824.

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Researchers say humanity has entered the Fifth Industrial Revolution, which will see a new and deep collaboration between humans and AI across the economy.

The era is a major leap from the First Industrial Revolution, which scholars typically define as beginning around the mid-18th century when the steam engine started to achieve widespread commercial use.

“The integration of sensory capabilities into AI models is not merely a technological leap,” said John Nosta, who taught at futurist Ray Kurzweil's Singularity University. “It represents a shift in our philosophical understanding of artificial and human intelligence.”

He has also referred to the new era as “the Cognitive Age,” which will radically change how humans live, work, and think about themselves. “As we navigate this cognitive revolution, the opportunity at hand is to become the architects of a future where technology and humanity are not just coexistent but coevolutionary.”

Louise McEntee, the head of intelligent automation at Deloitte, echoed Nosta’s sentiment: “This fifth wave of technological development has enormous potential to truly put people at the center of its design. We need to understand these new capabilities, how best to center them around people and their needs, and to address their concerns to design and legislate for 'bad actors,' as with any new technology.”

“Each significant technological shift, the age of the steam engine, the age of science and mass production, and the rise of digital technology, has meant radical changes to how we work,” she emphasized.