Society 5.0 could take social system to next level: Analyst

By Ali Murat Alhas

ANKARA (AA) - Throughout the course of history humanity has sought ways to live a better life, and the next phase to ensure this could be what some experts call "Society 5.0," or Smart Society.

In an interview with Anadolu Agency, social media specialist Deniz Unay said social development has always been in a process of constant evolution, from hunter-gatherer society to agriculture, followed by the industrial revolution with the advent of steam power, and the current information-based society with developments in computers and artificial intelligence or AI.

Unay stressed that the implications of the digital world significantly affect daily life, as seen in many areas from industry to education, shopping to home comforts.

"The new social structure of this century is projected as Society 5.0, or Smart Society. It was first mentioned at CeBIT, the technology fair in Hanover, Germany. Society 5.0 should be perceived as a helper rather than a threat," he said.

Stressing that big data would play a significant role in the new societal structure, he said: "The Society 5.0 framework will be based on data captured by real-world sensors and sent to the virtual cloud world for AI analysis, which in turn will return to the real world in physical form through robots, machines and motor vehicles."

"People, objects and systems are all connected in Society 5.0: they converge in cyberspace and physical space and collect large amounts of data from a variety of sources using sensors and devices," he added.

"In Society 5.0, the new value created by social innovation eliminates regional, age, gender and language disparities and enables the delivery of personalized products and services that meet many individuals and potential needs.

"It shows that many problems can be solved in different areas, including mobility, health, agriculture, food, manufacturing, disaster prevention, energy, etc.," he said.

-Japan was first

Unay added that Japan was the first country with a vision to realize the potential of Society 5.0, and argued this trend might spread to other parts of the world in the near future.

"This philosophy, which is being applied first in Japan, develops various solutions for a number of issues including the aging world population, integration between the virtual and real worlds, the use of the Internet of things to the interests of society, as well as solutions to pollution and natural disasters," he added.

Along with its many potential positive aspects, people should be made aware of the challenges this new societal system may also entail, according to Unay.

"Legal innovations seem to be required to resolve various legal obstacles as well as how to integrate the virtual world with the real world and the presence of robots in all areas," he said.

"Another obstacle is the scientific gaps in the digitization of objects," added Unay.

Digitizing objects, also known as "Digital Gemini," refers to the transformation of physical data into digital data. It is seen as a must for industry 4.0 and the industrial internet.

Unay cautioned that sociopolitical prejudices and social resistance may hinder the development and spread of the Smart Society, saying: "For Society 5.0 to evolve and spread, [international] communities need to work together."

"The future is an inevitable phenomenon, and this phenomenon is created by influencing life, nature, and society. We need to support the steps that need to be taken to maximize the benefits of technological development," he said.

According to Unay, Society 5.0 is open to all ideas that boost daily life, and will provide effective solutions to social problems in the economy, work and education.