Focusing on the “Industrial Internet,” U.S. Industry 4.0 emphasizes “soft” power.

　　In the United States, the concept of “Industry 4.0” has largely been superseded by “the Industrial Internet.” Despite the different terminology, the two concepts share the same core principle: connecting virtual networks with physical systems to create more efficient production ecosystems.

　　From a policy perspective, following the financial crisis, the U.S. government elevated the development of advanced manufacturing to a national strategy, aiming to reshape the manufacturing sector through new, revolutionary production methods. At the industry level, the establishment of the Industrial Internet Consortium signaled the business community’s official entry into the Industry 4.0 era. Unlike Germany, which emphasizes “hard” manufacturing, the United States—where the software and internet economies are highly developed—places greater emphasis on driving a new wave of industrial revolution in “soft” services, seeking to leverage the internet to revitalize traditional industries and sustain the long-term competitiveness of its manufacturing base.

　　Government strategies drive innovation.

　　To respond to the new technological industrial revolution and secure a stronger voice in global industrial competition, the United States has made the revitalization of its manufacturing sector a top strategic priority in recent years. Following the financial crisis, the U.S. government enacted a series of legislation aimed at establishing manufacturing innovation hubs, seeking to leverage advanced technologies to modernize traditional industries and steer the American economy back onto a path of sustainable growth.

　　In April 2009, newly inaugurated U.S. President Barack Obama delivered a speech in which he proposed revitalizing the manufacturing sector as a key long-term strategy for the American economy. In December of the same year, the U.S. government released the “Framework for Reinvigorating American Manufacturing,” which thoroughly examined the theoretical underpinnings and comparative advantages of such a revival, serving as a strategic roadmap for advancing U.S. manufacturing. Subsequently, the Obama administration systematically rolled out its manufacturing innovation agenda, progressively articulating everything from overarching strategic frameworks and development pathways to concrete policy measures.

　　In June 2011, the United States officially launched the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, aiming to accelerate its efforts to secure a leading position in 21st-century advanced manufacturing. In February 2012, it further introduced the National Strategic Plan for Advanced Manufacturing, employing proactive policies to encourage manufacturing firms to relocate back to the U.S. domestic market. These initiatives comprise two main pillars: first, restructuring and enhancing the competitiveness of traditional manufacturing sectors; second, fostering high‑tech industries. They also call for the development of cutting-edge digital manufacturing technologies, including advanced production technology platforms, state-of-the-art manufacturing processes, and robust design and data‑infrastructure systems.

　　In March 2012, President Obama first proposed establishing a “National Network for Manufacturing Innovation,” aiming to set up as many as 45 research centers and strengthen the integrated collaboration among universities, industry, and government. In January 2013, the White House Office of Management and Budget, the National Science and Technology Council, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology jointly released the “Preliminary Design for the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation,” committing $1 billion to launch the U.S. National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI). This initiative seeks to concentrate resources on advancing cutting-edge manufacturing sectors—such as digital manufacturing, new energy, and advanced materials—and to foster a series of innovation clusters with state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities.

　　The key research areas of this innovative network include: developing lightweight materials such as carbon‑fiber composites to enhance the fuel efficiency, performance, and corrosion resistance of next‑generation vehicles, aircraft, trains, and ships; refining standards, materials, and equipment for 3D printing to enable low‑cost, small‑batch production based on digital design; and establishing frameworks and methodologies for smart manufacturing that allow production operators to access real‑time “big data streams” from fully digitized factories, thereby improving production efficiency, optimizing supply chains, and increasing the efficiency of energy, water, and material use.

　　Over the past two years, the aforementioned plans have been progressively implemented. In August 2012, the U.S. government and the private sector jointly invested $85 million to establish the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute. In May 2013, the U.S. government announced the allocation of $200 million in federal funding to launch three manufacturing innovation institutes: the Institute for Lightweight and Modern Metals Manufacturing, the Institute for Digital Manufacturing and Design, and the Institute for Next-Generation Power Electronics Manufacturing. In February of this year, a fourth institute—the Institute for Composite Manufacturing—was also established.

　　According to the “Global Advanced Manufacturing Trends Report” released by the U.S.-based Wilson Center, the United States ranks first worldwide in R&D investment, with three-quarters of that funding directed toward manufacturing. The country enjoys clear advantages in advanced manufacturing sectors such as synthetic biology, advanced materials, and rapid‑prototyping technologies. Analysts believe that, driven by robust support from both the public and private sectors, the United States is poised to experience a new wave of technological innovation characterized by ubiquitous wireless network coverage, widespread adoption of cloud computing, and large-scale development of smart manufacturing.

　　Industry alliances are breaking down technological barriers.

　　Unlike Germany’s Industry 4.0, which emphasizes “hard” manufacturing, the United States—where the software and internet economies are highly developed—places greater emphasis on driving a new wave of industrial revolution through “soft” services, seeking to leverage the power of networks and data to enhance the value‑creation capabilities of the entire industrial sector. In essence, the U.S. version of Industry 4.0 is nothing more than an “Industrial Internet” revolution. Throughout this process, in addition to policy support from the U.S. government, the early formation of industry consortia has served as a key catalyst for progress.

　　The concept of the “Industrial Internet” was first introduced by General Electric in 2012. Subsequently, five leading U.S. industry players joined forces to establish the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC), which vigorously promoted this concept. In addition to manufacturing giants like General Electric, the consortium also includes IT companies such as IBM, Cisco, Intel, and AT&T.

　　The Industrial Internet Consortium operates on an open membership model and is committed to developing a “common blueprint” that enables data sharing across devices from different vendors. This blueprint’s standards cover not only Internet network protocols but also metrics such as data storage capacity in IT systems, power levels of interconnected and non‑interconnected devices, and data‑traffic control. The goal is to break down technological barriers by establishing universal standards, leverage the Internet to modernize traditional industrial processes, and further advance the convergence of the physical and digital worlds.

　　Although the establishment and final approval of the aforementioned standards may take several years, once they are in place, they will help hardware and software developers create products fully compatible with the Internet of Things. The ultimate outcome could be the seamless integration of sensors, networks, computers, cloud computing systems, large enterprises, vehicles, and hundreds of other types of entities, thereby driving a comprehensive boost in efficiency across the entire industrial value chain. (Yang Bo)