FUTURES & BEYOND and 4IR Virtual Conference was hosted online by UJ Arts & Culture on 30 and 31 August 2022. The University of Johannesburg has positioned the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) as its visionary focus in research and higher education, and UJ Arts & Culture, as a division of the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture (FADA), has been facilitating an ongoing discussion on how thinking around the notion of the 4IR connects to the creative industries, specifically within the South African context and African continental context more broadly. The Futures and Beyond conference was an entirely new initiative coming out of this discussion. The thematic approach to the conference was divided into two streams, with one being ethics, intellectual property, and technology, and the other being creative industries, innovation, and development.

This book includes papers in the research area of artificial intelligence, robotics and automation, IoT smart agriculture, data analysis and cloud computing, communication and technology, and signal and natural language processing. The book is a collection of research papers presented at the First International Conference on Fourth Industrial Revolution and Beyond (IC4IR 2021) organized by University Grants Commission of Bangladesh in association with IEEE Computer Society Bangladesh Chapter and Bangladesh Computer Society during December 10–11, 2021.

The world is at a crossroads because of industrial change, compounded by a global pandemic. Humanities and social science education is grappling with the meaning of this change, to the effect that there have been some anxieties and misguided perceptions about the irrelevance of the humanities in this emerging new world. With the emergence of new technologies, this book highlights the indispensable centrality of humanity and the humanities going forward. The book will provide a reference point for new and innovative approaches to the humanities in the 4IR in South Africa and Africa. Its diverse content means that it will be useful across the humanities and social science spectrum.

Capture the value of cutting-edge AI while mitigating its most salient risks AI For Humanity: Building a Sustainable AI for the Future delivers an incisive and timely discussion of how to design, build, and implement cutting-edge AI in for-profit firms and other organizations in a responsible, sustainable, and ethical way. The book walks you through the three pillars of human-focused AI development—governance, technology, and commercialization—and dives deep into each one, showing you how to create AI products and services that better humanity and advance universally held values. You'll find methodologies and frameworks that mitigate against some of the most profound and unsettling risks of unchecked artificial intelligence development, and roadmaps to help you avoid the numerous pitfalls and traps awaiting unsuspecting companies, managers, and executives. You'll also discover: Real-world case studies, from companies including SAP, Huawei, and Tencent, demonstrating the actual dilemmas and questions firms face when developing and implementing this extraordinary tech Actionable commitments you can make to help ensure you and your company avoid the ethical and reputational risks associated with AI Strategies for AI product and service development consistent with sustainable growth Perfect for managers, executives, directors, and other business leaders with a stake in responsible artificial intelligence design, development, and implementation, AI For Humanity will also interest regulators, academics, thought leaders, and policy makers doing their best to capture AI's substantial potential value while mitigating its most serious risks.

This is an open access book.It is a common cause globally that the abrupt emergence of Covid-19 wreaked havoc in all sectors, including the higher education system. The sudden closure of campuses as a social distancing measure to prevent community transmission has shifted face-to-face classes to online teaching and learning, a transformative experiment for academics and students in most institutions. This has thrown the focus on utilising Learning Management Systems (LMS), eLearning tools and platforms for effective student engagement, which may have limitations of accessibility and affordability for many students. The pandemic has exposed the shortcomings of the current higher education system and the need for more training of academics and practitioners in digital technology to adapt to the rapidly changing educational climate. In the post-pandemic situation, eLearning and virtual education may become an integral part of the higher education system, hence the question of re-inventing higher education. The higher education institutions and universities need to plan the post-pandemic education and research strategies to ensure student learning outcomes and standards of educational quality. With the move to online teaching and learning, subsequently, traditional assessments followed and were adapted and adopted for online assessment. Assessments lie at the heart of the teaching process. It shapes students’ understanding of the curriculum and determines their ability to progress. Reflections on assessments during Covid-19 abounded with the challenges that both academics and students faced regarding online assessments, including cheating and quality assurance issues. The focus on quality extended to the quality of teaching and learning in general. Moreover, the pandemic brought about the question of staff and student health and psychosocial support also became important. For academics, the abrupt shift to adapt to working from home and implementing online learning has led to over-work, low work-life balance and compromised mental health. With a view on constructive and futuristic discourse, the sub-themes of the 2022 Focus conference encapsulate the current realities in the higher education sector and beyond. It further provides opportunities for an in-depth analysis based on the benefit of hindsight and foresight. The Organising Committee specifically coined the theme, Re-inventing higher education: Insights, trends and lessons learnt from, specifically for the conference to reflect on and address the matters mentioned earlier. Academics, scholars, and practitioners in the higher education sector are called upon to share their research and express their perspectives on the reinvention of higher education.

This is an open access book. Faculty of Social and Political Science, State Islamic University Walisongo Semarang, has been playing significant roles in building global peace and justice by conducting scientific research and creating a space for academic dialogue and discussion. This goal is in line with our vision to be a Research Faculty based on the unity of sciences for humanity and civilization. As part of the efforts to create a space for academic dialogue at a global level, we organize an international conference which aims to develop scientific knowledge, build institutional capacity, and strengthen international networking. The conference is also held to support State Islamic University Walisongo Semarang in achieving its vision to be an Islamic world-class university. The conference raises the issue of democracy and social transformation to capture the social and political dynamics. The selection of this topic is based on the idea that technological development is becoming a crucial issue within modern society in which people tend to experience alienation within the rapid social and political transformation. Democracy as a political system that ensures transparency, citizen participation, and human rights protection is now under threat. Having the fact that there is a growing tendency of using transactional politics to win political interests such as the use of money and identity in political processes, therefore, political analysts consider this situation as the regression of democracy. Rapid social and cultural transformation as a consequence of advanced technology creates problems in modern society. On one hand, technology has made the life of people easier. However, on the other hand, the sense of humanity’s values and principles is declining. This situation can be observed in the decrease in social solidarity and the rise of individualism. Modernity that values productivity and economic growth has brought a negative impact on the life of human being and nature. The exploitative character of industrialization has created an ecological crisis. Advanced information technology has loosened social cohesivity and the rise of instrumental rationality has removed local genius or local wisdom from the life of society. Since the ultimate goal of humanity is respecting the dignity of human beings, hence, bringing back humanity to the center of the development program is crucial, especially in the current social and political dynamics. In the political context, humanity means respecting the basic rights of the citizen and putting them as a subject of political development and not perceiving citizens as only an instrument to win political power. Based on the above background, this conference is organized. The overall goal of the conference is to mainstream humanity in the current social and political change. The conference is also expected to be an arena for scholars and experts in social and political science as well as practitioners and policymakers to meet and exchange ideas and perspectives for a better future of our society.

The growth of digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to increase global wealth and tackle some of the world's most serious problems, including economic marginalization. In contrast, these innovations may contribute to widening economic gaps and potentially threaten the stability of democratic governments. Changes in economic growth and distribution are occurring in both developed and developing countries due to the impact that new technologies are having on businesses and the workplace. This book provides answers to the question of whether the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, such as Artificial Intelligence, will lead to greater economic uncertainty, environmental collapse, and social unrest or whether they will help achieve shared prosperity and sustainable development, and successively the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The book focuses on Human-centered Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the responsible deployment of diverse technologies for achieving sustainable development. It examines why the human-centred approach is so crucial to long-term success. It underlines the definition of human-centred AI and its importance in creating sustainability and resilience. It starts with a comprehensive history of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, details how to produce artificial intelligence that is centred on humans in order to accomplish sustainable development in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and then goes on to discuss the need for proper management and governance of emerging technologies. The book ends by presenting a framework that will assist stakeholders in employing AI in a human-centred manner to achieve the sustainable development goals set for 2030. The book will appeal to scholars, academics and researchers interested in information linked to the SDGs, AI and industry 4.0.