Society 5.0: The New Paradigm

In the mid-20th century, humanity embarked on a new journey, unknowingly. In a turbulent world overshadowed by the aftermath of two world wars, science achieved what humans had sought for centuries: the capacity for global communication and the development of previously unimaginable tools.

The acceleration of scientific progress, new discoveries, and the momentum built up over centuries of research finally materialised into applied technology. Telecommunications and electricity were later transformed into applied electronics, and the dream of creating machines capable of emulating human reasoning processes began to take shape.

The initial push, driven by the necessity to end the Second World War, became the foundation of modern computing, the science of knowledge, and what we now know as information and communication technologies.

A new era was born: the digital era.

With it, characterised by new ways of human communication, a different global conception of society began to emerge.

The second half of the 20th century, seen from a distance, is not as idyllic as it is sometimes portrayed. Post-war recovery and political blocs have resulted in a 21st century full of uncertainties, but also undeniable certainties.

Despite the cultural, economic, and contextual differences, the society being shaped by the controversial 20th century is a new one. It adds to human evolution the challenges of an overexploited planet, the need for new motivations, and, above all, the urgency to find a new direction.

The so-called Society 5.0 arises from the need to humanise the digital technologies we have created and turn them into useful tools to address challenges never before faced in history.

Environmental justice, the preservation of human rights, the prevention of information overload, techno-humanism… These are great challenges for future generations, requiring a different approach.

It is no longer enough to apply technology to solve society’s problems; a collective reflection on the unstoppable development of these technologies and the immense potential they bring is now essential.

The Development Space of Society 5.0

We live in a society where standing still is not an option. Humanity’s capacity for research and discovery remains unstoppable. This evolution is a wheel that keeps turning—and it won’t stop.

For this reason, introspection and reflection are more necessary than ever to accompany scientific and technological progress. Technology must become the ultimate tool for society to harness its full potential in daily life.

In the 1960s and 70s, we dreamed of expert systems like Mycin, which offered support for disease diagnosis. Just 60 years later, we now have digital twins for simulating clinical scenarios, artificial intelligence to accelerate decision-making processes, and immersive reality tools.

Society 5.0 represents a quantum leap in our capabilities, a leap for which we are uncertain whether we are fully prepared.

Our cities and towns can no longer simply be smart metropolises, where sensors collect data that is converted into information and, subsequently, knowledge. Now, our cities must commit to technology for better planning that ensures fair coexistence, environmental quality, rational mobility, and planned logistics.

Is this rapid pace necessarily a bad thing?

Not at all. Humanity has always been driven by basic needs such as conflict, wars, and pandemics. In this new society, we must ensure that technology is not an end in itself but the best tool for transforming and improving the quality of life for people.

Over the next 10 years, digital technologies—the product of humanity’s most advanced knowledge—will allow us to imagine new scenarios that must be turned into real opportunities for progress, justice, and harmony.

Society 5.0 is about this: placing people at the centre of everyday life, using the tools they have developed. Technology should not be our purpose, but rather a wonderful instrument to once again redirect the course of humanity, as we have done before.

MWCapital’s Role

A decade ago, under the Smart Cities vision, Barcelona led a new way of adopting and adapting technology to the urban environment. A highly technological vision, but one also focused on improving people’s lives.

Today, cities must become spaces for balanced development, combining technological evolution that serves people with the need to preserve natural resources strained by the exponential progress of the last 60 years.

In this evolution, Mobile World Capital Barcelona aims to play a leading role. Under the Tech4Good initiative, we drive projects to apply sustainable innovations in various Catalan cities, improve their connectivity, and promote digital accessibility among citizens.

Furthermore, we are a key player in promoting and attracting digital talent, in collaboration with Catalan businesses and universities. Through our Technology Transfer Programme, we help bring disruptive innovations to market, contributing to a more sustainable industry, improving people’s lives, and reducing environmental impact.