2016: IBM Watson’s Big Year
Even though 2015 was a particularly strong year for IBM Watson, with highlights such as the launch of IBM’s Watson-centric Cognitive Computing Consulting Practice, the introduction of Watson-as-a-Service, and Watson-focused headlines for consumers, 2016 has proven to be even more impressive.
5 Ways Watson Made Headlines in 2016
1) Watson Brings Something to the Internet of Things
As the Internet of Things grew, Watson participated in various ways. IBM launched a platform that facilitated embedding Watson into IoT devices. Working with Cisco, IBM also established a framework to enable analytics for the IoT. This entailed moving elements of Watson software into hardware that is close to IoT devices.
In collaboration with the University of South Carolina (USC), IBM opened the Center for Applied Innovation. The goal of this organization is to use the power of Watson to generate innovative IoT solutions for healthcare and supply chains.
Helping to help bring IoT into the mainstream in a tangible way, a startup embedded IBM Watson into a self-driving car.
2) Watson Makes the Grade for both Teachers and Students
In addition to working with USC, IBM directed Watson’s capabilities toward furthering a number of goals in support of education. IBM teamed with educational publisher Pearson to apply Watson’s cognitive learning insights to improving the learning experience for college students.
At the same time, the IBM Foundation collaborated with the American Federation of Teachers to allow teachers to use Watson to deliver a better education to their students. Watson even extended into early childhood education in a collaboration with the Sesame Workshop, which is from the makers of the children’s television show, Sesame Street.
3) Watson Knows What You Want and Delivers It to You
Watson took some key steps toward bringing cognitive computing into everyday use. One key example was the collaboration with OnStar. Watson’s analytics capabilities delivered customized content to individual drivers via their OnStar system. For example, OnStar can leverage Watson Tradeoff Analytics to provide recommendations on fine dining to travelers that have shown an interest in fine dining.
Watson also found a role in social media by powering the Weather Channel’s bot for Facebook Messenger. Aside from delivering content in different ways, Watson also emerged in the real world in the form of a gaming toothbrush, an IoT device for children that connects the toothbrush (via Bluetooth) to the internet to make brushing interactive. One such game turns each swipe of the toothbrush into an attack on monsters, so more brushing means more monsters defeated.
In a crossover event bridging both social media and the world of fashion, Watson participated in a Vogue-sponsored gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. During the event, Watson gathered sentiments from Tweets and changed the colors of the Met Gala dress’s LED lights accordingly.
4) Watson Helps Out at the Office
Not surprisingly, Watson’s reach extended deep into the enterprise in 2016. IBM launched a suite of Watson-powered applications to support marketers, human resources managers, and supply chain management professionals. Watson also took up residence in iOS. It’s aim is to increase productivity for business users with iPhones via Watson-enabled speech interaction — a task for which Watson’s natural language processing capabilities is well suited.
Of course, IBM worked with a variety of partners to bring Watson to the enterprise. For instance, in collaboration with ISS, a global facilities management organization, Watson helped transform building management for more than 25,000 buildings.
5) Watson Cares about Healthcare
Easily the most pervasive influence Watson had in 2016 was in the field of healthcare. The industry began to embrace Watson in a widespread way. The following are just a few of the highlights.
Organizations as diverse as the American Cancer Society, genomic sequencing firm Quest Diagnostics, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and Hangzhou CognitiveCare, which runs a chain of 21 hospitals across China, all applied Watson’s capabilities to fight cancer on multiple fronts.
Celgene, a global biopharmaceutical company, leveraged IBM Watson to engage in and enhance ongoing monitoring of patient health, thereby contributing to evidence-based decision-making in drug safety.
UK-based Alder Hey Children’s Hospital initiated a program to become the UK’s first ‘cognitive’ hospital by incorporating Watson’s analytical tools to improve the patient experience.
2017’s Watson Has a Tough Act to Follow
Watson has built up significant momentum throughout 2016. With cognitive computing finding its way into virtually every aspect of society, there have been abundant opportunities for Watson to bring value and improve experiences to the way we work, play, learn, and live. It will be entertaining to see Watson find ways to have a better 2017. The good news is that finding a better way is one of Watson’s strengths.
Stay tuned for part 2!
