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Monday, July 19, 2021

What Happened to Watson? Still here.

We were invited early on to work with Watson's prototype.     But then it did clearly slow behind its stated expectations.  Yet a number of things also came out of it, like means to construct pieces that could be assistants in useful ways.  Colleagues and friends worked there and also saw it as as beyond what had initially been seen as 'AI'.  Why?  Its still very hard to do complete human AI.   Expectations were too high and some key aspects, like 'machine learning' were not emphasized from the beginning.  Intelligence must include learning.   

As the article below mentions, no industries have been completely reinvented.   I have now worked with several 'Watson' applications.  Can Watson be usefully integrated formally with business?  I think so.  Just keep the expectations reasonable.   Don't overuse the term 'AI',  it is overused both in and outside the realm of  'Watson'.   Watson is still here, despite what the technologically challenged NYT thinks.   - FAD 

What Ever Happened to IBM’s Watson?    via the ACM, full article in NYT linked to below.

By The New York Times, July 19, 2021

Watson has not remade any industries. And it hasn't lifted IBMs fortunes.

A decade ago, IBM's public confidence was unmistakable. Its Watson supercomputer had just trounced Ken Jennings, the best human "Jeopardy!" player ever, showcasing the power of artificial intelligence. This was only the beginning of a technological revolution about to sweep through society, the company pledged.

"Already," IBM declared in an advertisement the day after the Watson victory, "we are exploring ways to apply Watson skills to the rich, varied language of health care, finance, law and academia."

But inside the company, the star scientist behind Watson had a warning: Beware what you promise.

Full article From The New York Times  

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