WE are said to be entering the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where the internet of things (IoT) will become more pervasive, seen in the adoption of automation, artificial intelligence, robotics, digitalization and virtual interactions as everyday technologies not only in the arena of work but even in interpersonal interactions.

The onset of the pandemic has provided the platform and the avenue for this development to be hastened and adopted. Online shopping, Netflix and video streaming, and online learning are now part of our everyday existence.