The Fourth Industrial Revolution and its Implications for Nursing Education

Rapidly emerging AI technologies provide promising opportunities in many industries, including healthcare. AI health technologies (AIHTs) have gained popularity within health systems due to their ability to sort and analyze vast amounts of research evidence, clinical data, and patient information. AI enables the identification of patterns that can enhance knowledge generation and improve decision-making. As a result of these capabilities to transform various aspects of health systems, nurses will need to function in vastly different roles and care delivery models as AIHTs become more pervasive in many healthcare systems. Increasing evidence in the literature shows how AI algorithms and robots are already changing the nurse's role in healthcare delivery. The emergence of new roles and models in the nursing profession will require changes in the core competencies and educational requirements of nurses in all domains of their practice, including administration, clinical care, education, policy, and research. As researchers delve deeper into the potential impacts of AI health technologies (AIHTs) on nursing, particularly in nursing education, it is essential to consider the implications of these developments for nursing education. How will today's nurses be trained to function in an everchanging healthcare system where AI is increasingly pervasive? This article discusses the implications of AI and the changes needed in nursing education to ensure that nurses can deliver quality care in healthcare systems as AI becomes pervasive.