The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is marked by the fusion of the cyber, physical, and human realms, driven by the advancement of intelligent technologies. The 4IR brings not only new benefits but also complex economic, societal, and ethical challenges for humanity. This course aims to help students deeply and systematically understand the forefront of 4IR (such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and metaverse), discern emerging challenges and opportunities, and explore new policies, socioeconomic mechanisms, protocols, organizations, business models, products, systems, and services to shape its future. During this course, students will produce a rigorous review and thesis on their assigned technology—covering principles, applications, advantages, disadvantages, and socio-technical implications. The course emphasizes master-level research, technical writing, and collaborative knowledge synthesis.