GSMA Webinar: Recognizing the Potential of Industry 4.0 in Asia Pacific

On 2 March, GSMA held a webinar that featured data from a recent survey looking into how policy makers, regulators and the wider ICT ecosystem are utilizing a “Whole-of-Government” approach (WGA) to deliver the Industry 4.0 solutions in Asia Pacific. To bolster GSMA’s data, the webinar allowed participants to hear perspectives from stakeholders who described the progress made towards Industry 4.0 goals during the pandemic.

In 2020, GSMA surveyed policymakers, regulators, and the wider technology industry to gain an understanding of how the mobile ecosystem is organised to deliver the Industry 4.0 vision, objectives and goals put forth by countries in Asia Pacific. GSMA started this policy dialogue by releasing its 2020 Digital Societies report. The Digital Societies report focuses on the need to advance digital societies in a more coordinated way and facilitate the efficient use of scare resources and ensure inclusive participation through WGA. Building upon this report, GSMA recently released its Industry 4.0 report, a companion report to the 2020 Digital Societies report that takes a deeper dive into the on-the-ground data around Industry 4.0 efforts in the region.

Panelists at the webinar offered their perspectives on Industry 4.0 efforts, WGA and other holistic approaches to policymaking, and the essential nature of connectivity. Panelists explained how Industry 4.0 solutions have the potential to spread benefits widely, empowering consumers through mobile connectivity. And while GSMA data and the panelists agreed that a holistic approach, like WGA, has the potential to more efficiently achieve the benefits offered by Industry 4.0, it is clear that a cultural shift is needed to adapt as government move away from a traditional siloed approach. It also became clear that the time is now for such efforts as governments are looking to rebuild economies, strengthen SMEs, launch new use cases, and upskill workers.

This decade will be pivotal for Asia Pacific as countries continue down the path of digitization towards fully fledged digital societies. As nations look to digital platforms and the realization of Industry 4.0, collaborative and flexible approaches that receive and consider a variety of viewpoints will be key to meeting new and novel challenges. GSMA looks forward to continuing this dialogue as stakeholders work to address today’s issues. A recording of the webinar can be accessed here.