A Leadership Agenda for G20 Governments Advancing Human-Centred Economic Progress in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The document argues that G20 nations must shift from efficiency-driven growth models to a human-centred approach that deliberately designs social inclusion into innovation and economic policy. It identifies the Fourth Industrial Revolution as a disruptive force that risks exacerbating inequality and eroding trust in institutions. The authors propose a three-part agenda focusing on the normative design of technological systems, the reimagining of structural economic reform through a 15-domain framework, and the modernization of human capital and labour market policies to address automation risks.

• The Fourth Industrial Revolution is characterized by the convergence of technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, advanced robotics, biotechnologies, and new energy storage systems, which are disrupting how value is created and distributed.
• There is a significant global decline in trust toward governing institutions; 59% of people globally tend to distrust governments, and nearly half of G20 economies are classified as closed, repressed, or obstructed environments for civil society.
• Traditional G20 economic strategies—macroeconomic demand management, export-led growth, and regional integration with deregulation—are deemed insufficient for improving labour's share of national income or addressing wealth-concentrating technological disruption.
• To achieve inclusive growth, the document suggests a framework of 15 structural policy and institutional domains, including human capital formation, social insurance systems, and the probity of business and political ethics.
• The Inclusive Development Index (IDI) shows that 51% of 103 tracked countries saw their scores decline over the last five years, with 42% experiencing a decrease in the IDI even as GDP per capita increased.
• Automation poses a high risk to a large portion of the workforce; specifically, 47% of all US employment is considered at high risk of automation in the coming decades.
• The demand for skills is shifting toward critical thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence, and cognitive flexibility, with 35% of core skills expected to change across industries and countries by 2020.
• The document identifies five critical dimensions of workforce development that require investment: active labour-market policies, equity of access to basic education, gender parity, protections for non-standard work, and school-to-work transitions.
• The United States is noted as lagging significantly in active labour-market policy investment, spending only 0.11% of GDP compared to an OECD average of 0.6%.
• A universal basic income is viewed as a potential complement but not a substitute for systemic institutional reforms in education and labour markets, as it may not address the human need for dignity and fulfillment through work.

APA

Samans, R., & Davis, N. (2017). A Leadership Agenda for G20 Governments Advancing Human-Centred Economic Progress in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. World Economic Forum. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Advancing_Human_Centred_Economic_Progress_WP_2017.pdf

Chicago

Samans, Richard, and Nicholas Davis. A Leadership Agenda for G20 Governments Advancing Human-Centred Economic Progress in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. World Economic Forum, 2017. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Advancing_Human_Centred_Economic_Progress_WP_2017.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Samans |first1=Richard |last2=Davis |first2=Nicholas |title=A Leadership Agenda for G20 Governments Advancing Human-Centred Economic Progress in the Fourth Industrial Revolution |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=May 2017 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Advancing_Human_Centred_Economic_Progress_WP_2017.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{samans2017leadership, author = {Samans, Richard and Davis, Nicholas}, title = {{A Leadership Agenda for G20 Governments Advancing Human-Centred Economic Progress in the Fourth Industrial Revolution}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2017}, month = may, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Advancing_Human_Centred_Economic_Progress_WP_2017.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }