The article is a historical review and characterisation of the period of the fourth industrial revolution. It shows the preconditions for the emergence of Industry 4.0, its place in the development of global industry, its characteristic features, and development prospects. The development of cyber-physical systems, according to experts, will lead to the transformation of Industry 4.0 into Industry 5.0. The characteristics of Industry 5.0 have already taken shape in general terms. Its main features consist in shifting the focus from artificial to human intelligence, searching for their effective interaction, focus on environmental friendliness and customisation of products.