Industry 5.0 Is Changing The Meaning Of Automation

InnovationIndustry 5.0 Is Changing The Meaning Of AutomationByArungalai Anbarasu,Forbes Councils Member.for Forbes Technology CouncilCOUNCIL POSTExpertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Opinions expressed are those of the author. | Membership (fee-based)May 22, 2026, 10:00am EDTArungalai Anbarasu serves on Körber's Group Executive Board, heads Business Area Technologies and drives the Group's innovation strategy. getty​Society is undergoing a rapid transformation as the manufacturing industry continuously evolves. Industry 4.0 is advancing with the adoption and adaptation of new, smart technologies driven by machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT) and automated networks. However, the speed of this technological innovation is intensifying, and leaders must be ready for what comes next. Advanced and increasingly autonomous AI tools, robotics, cloud solutions and industrial IoT are converging to usher in a new era: Industry 5.0.The Meaning Of Industry 5.0 Industry 4.0 was defined by the integration of cyber‑physical systems, automation and data-driven operations, all of which aimed to increase connectivity, data transparency and throughput. In many organizations that I've observed in the industry, these technologies have already delivered measurable benefits, though adoption remains uneven across sectors and regions. Where repetitive tasks are automated, human workers can increasingly focus on more strategic, holistic and value‑driven work and innovative thinking. This is the very basis of Industry 5.0. ​​As the European Commission framed it, Industry 5.0 is a transformative vision, complementing Industry 4.0 by putting research and innovation in service of a more sustainable, human-centric and resilient industry. ​Industry 5.0 isn’t a buzzword. It’s the next evolution of the manufacturing and supply chain landscape, reframing technological transformation through the lens of human-centricity, resilience and sustainability. W...