THE FOURTH BODY OF KNOWLEDGE: BEYOND THE CONSUMERISTIC PERSPECTIVE OF AI

I define a body of knowledge as the accumulation of all ideas, data, and insights generated by the human race over the centuries. In our current era, this definition must be expanded to include what I term the "Fourth Body of Knowledge" (4BOK). This concept is inextricably linked to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which, as defined by the World Economic Forum, refers to an era of systems facilitating a ubiquitous, on-demand economy where the means of production no longer need to be localised with the actual producers (Schwab, 2016). The 4BOK is the specific intelligence and insight that emerge from these decentralised, digital systems.

THE CRISIS OF TRADITIONAL EXPERTISE

For the vast majority of our collective history—most notably throughout the Renaissance and the Enlightenment—an expert was defined by their sufficient command over the knowledge within a specific field. Mastery was a matter of individual intellectual authority. In the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, however, such comprehensive command over traditional disciplines like medicine or the natural sciences has become nearly impossible.

The traditional remedy for this complexity has been hyper-specialisation. While this creates a diversity of fields, it often erodes the vitality of general command. Experts become increasingly confined to contested niches, finding few peers with whom they can sufficiently develop their craft. Consequently, we are developing new niches faster than we are developing experts.

The core of this crisis is the "Absorption Gap". The rate at which new knowledge accumulates in our world is growing exponentially, while the rate at which human beings can absorb that knowledge remains relatively static. Schwab (2016) emphasises that the "velocity, scope, and systems impact" of this revolution are unlike anything previously witnessed, rendering traditional mastery an elusive, moving target. This problem is further exacerbated by generative AI models, which generate an exponentially voluminous output of data, making it harder to argue that humanity still possesses sufficient command over its own collective knowledge.

THE EMERGENCE OF THE VERSATILE EXPERT

If an expert requires sufficient command over a body of knowledge to distinguish themselves from the rest of humanity, then the traditional model of the specialist is failing. In this climate, it is better to pursue the creation of "versatile experts" rather than continuing the struggle to create hyper-specialised ones.

I define versatile experts as those who approach the level of traditional general experts by augmenting their ability and productivity with Industry 4.0 tools. Such individuals do not necessarily claim a personal, internalised authority over the entire body of knowledge in the traditional sense. Instead, they are sufficiently exposed to the body of knowledge across multiple fields to utilise tools that match the output and oversight traditionally required of a general expert.

Consider, for example, a structural engineer. In the traditional model, their scope is limited. However, as a versatile expert, they could confidently use augmented tools to address material science and utility management, connecting these disciplines to solve complex contruction problems. This represents a new kind of general expertise: one that functions at the intersection of interrelated fields.

THE RISKS OF NON-AUGMENTATION

We must adequately consider the alternative: what happens when we fail to augment ourselves? The first shortcoming will be a deficit of individuals capable of connecting the dots between disparate fields. Innovation often occurs at these intersections, and without augmented experts, these connections remain unmade.

Furthermore, it will become increasingly undesirable—and eventually risky—to hire non-augmented experts. As the body of knowledge accelerates its expansion, those who do not use the tools of Industry 4.0 will suffer from compounded gaps in their respective scopes. In a professional environment, these gaps represent significant liabilities. Mastery in the modern age requires even more capable tools to sufficiently navigate the Fourth Body of Knowledge and achieve the required expert command.

INEQUALITY AND THE EAST AFRICAN CONTEXT

The shift towards augmented expertise brings grave concerns regarding global inequality. Schwab (2016) warns that organisations and governments may be unable to adapt quickly enough to benefit from these technologies. This warning is echoed by Geoffrey Hinton (2025), who cautions that, without careful management, the rich will get richer and more powerful through their unrivalled control over AI systems, leading to a massive concentration of wealth and a potential collapse of the traditional labour market as the willingness to hire "ordinary" labour diminishes.

In our East African context, the question of inequality is particularly urgent. We must stop waiting for a predominantly consumerist adaptation, which is inevitably followed by reactive, "fire-fighting" legislation from our governments. Africa must respond to the growing power of AI by moving beyond the role of a passive recipient (Global Center on AI Governance, 2025).

I stand by the dictum that you cannot regulate what you cannot produce at home. To attempt to do so simply harms the fledgling innovation already occurring in these sectors locally. If we enhance our production systems to align with the ongoing industrial revolution, regulation becomes a natural byproduct of development rather than a barrier to it.

CONCLUSION

The Fourth Body of Knowledge is not merely a collection of machine-generated data; it is a new frontier of human capability that demands a fundamental shift in our relationship with technology. To thrive, we must transition from a consumerist mindset—where we are passive observers of digital progress—to a productive one, where we are the versatile masters of the tools at our disposal.

When using AI or any Industry 4.0 tool, we must resist the urge to think as consumers especially during this nascent stage of many of thede recent and exciting AI systems. We must think of what we can produce and how we can boost our productivity across any subject if not now, atleast with a view of the far future. By fostering a generation of augmented, versatile experts to produce rather than just consume, we can mitigate the risks of global inequality and unemployment posed by these systems - I actually fancifully lean towards a Utopian future where we are all this kind of new Augmented Expert. Ultimately, the Fourth Body of Knowledge offers us the chance to redefine expertise: not by how much we can remember, but by how effectively we can utilise the tools of our time to connect the dots and solve the complex problems of our world.

REFERENCES

• Global Center on AI Governance. (2025, August 26). How should Africa respond to the growing power of artificial intelligence (AI)? https://www.globalcenter.ai/news/how-should-africa-respond-to-the-growing-power-of-artificial-intelligence-ai

• Hinton, G. (2025, November 2). 'Musk will get richer, people will get unemployed': Nobel Laureate Hinton on AI [Video]. YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1Hf-o1SzL4

• Schwab, K. (2016). The Fourth Industrial Revolution. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org

Bbumba,
2nd January 2026.