This is the revolutionary age of machines that can understand

The industrial revolution was a major turning point in history. Until the advent of steam engine technology, economic growth and wealth-creation were stagnant. After 1800, economic growth statistics accelerated, and they have continued to do so ever since. This happened initially in industrial nations across Europe and North America, but everywhere else soon followed. In the centuries since we have witnessed subsequent revolutions in industrial technology, from chemistry and electricity in the 19th century to computer technology in the 20th. Today artificial intelligence (AI) is enabling the next industrial revolution, but this one is very different to what has come before.