The world is now approaching the Fifth Industrial Revolution, during which the focus will shift back to humanity and promote the integration of Homo sapiens, artificial intelligence and the environment to bring about an energy revolution, said a world-renowned engineering expert.

Chan Ching Chuen, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said at the latest Vision China event on Thursday that the key challenges for the energy revolution involve three factors－sustainability, affordability and reliability－and the possible solution is through low carbon, intelligent, electrification and hydrogen-driven modalities.

"The Fourth Industrial Revolution is (characterized) by AI. Of course, AI makes big contributions. However, we have discovered that only AI is not enough (to meet the challenges of the energy revolution)," Chan said, adding that, "Now the energy network is becoming (more) complex, and the solution is to integrate AI with humans and with the environment."

Along with the Fifth Industrial Revolution, the European Union has proposed Industry 5.0, which complements the existing Industry 4.0 paradigm by highlighting research and innovation as drivers for a transition to a sustainable, human-centric and resilient European industrial infrastructure.

The Japanese government has also attached greater importance to humanity and proposed Society 5.0－a society where various societal needs are finely differentiated and met by providing the necessary products and services in the required amounts.

In fact, Chan is now working on the integration of four networks (energy, information, transportation and humanity) and four flows (energy, information, material and value)－an original theory that will help the nation gain more economic and environment benefits and lead the pack in the latest industrial revolution as well as promote the energy revolution.