The Knowledge Summit 2023 organized a virtual session on the third day under the theme ‘Exploring Society 5.0 from a social perspective.’ The session explored the prospects of the human-centered approach in Society 5.0, evaluated different ways to ensure a balance between economic and societal issues, and facilitated cross-border collaborations and exchange of cultural elements and best practices.
The session featured Dr. Yildiz Kara, Founder and Managing Director of Society 5.0 Institute; Aya Sadder, Founder and CEO of BOLT Consultancy; and Dr. Fadi Salem, Director of Policy Department at Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government. The session was moderated by Melissa Saoudy, Founder of Why Impact Consulting and Social and Environmental Impact Strategist.
During the session, Aya Sadder highlighted the importance of knowledge and innovation in the 5th Industrial Revolution (Industry 5.0) society, emphasizing the need for individuals and communities to access, process, and utilize information innovatively. In addition, she highlighted the necessity to develop new skills and capabilities to seamlessly adopt solutions in Industry 5.0. “Societies demand critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration skills for effective technology use, education and research, and investment for a better future,” she added.
Dr. Salem said, “The Society 5.0 is striving to ensure the well-being and prosperity of the community. The human aspect of Industry 5.0 prioritizes people and maintains human values and ethics while balancing economic development and societal issues.”
In addition, Dr. Salem stated that enhancing the human aspect of Society 5.0 in the Arab region requires collaboration between governments, businesses, and civil society and entails working together to ensure that technology is used responsibly, taking into consideration human values and ethics. He also pointed out that limited internet access and a lack of awareness about data privacy are the key challenges across sectors, including education, healthcare, and government services in the region.
Dr. Salem also highlighted various significant disparities hindering the implementation of the objectives of Society 5.0, such as data shortages and the lack of Arabic language content. “These challenges could be addressed by improving the infrastructure for information and communication technology and mobile applications, as well as increasing collaboration with universities and research centers to increase Arabic content on the internet,” he concluded.
In addition, Dr. Yildiz Kara highlighted the rapid technological advancements in Society 5.0, which significantly impact economic development and societal issues while also contributing to unemployment, social inequality, environmental changes, and cybersecurity risks.
During the session, Dr. Yildiz underscored that balancing economic development and societal issues in Society 5.0 requires a comprehensive approach that considers economic, social, and environmental factors. It should focus on achieving sustainable development goals, preserving resources and the environment, enhancing social equality by reducing the gap between the rich and the poor, and investing in education and health.