Finding new uses for IBM’s famed Watson computer
Statesman: The highlight of Project Watsons career so far seems to be winning Jeopardy. What has IBM done since Jeopardy to find useful work for Watson to do?
Saxena: We looked at a variety of information-intensive markets such as insurance, health care, telecom and banking when deciding where next to apply Watson technology. It became clear that the most pressing need, and where we thought we could make the biggest impact, was in the health-care field specifically, applying Watson-based technology to improving cancer care. On Jeopardy, we were able to demonstrate how quickly Watson processes, weighs and evaluates information and it sparked our imagination to think of what sort of effect access to that breadth of knowledge, coupled with speed and accuracy, could have on medical practitioners, researchers and patients worldwide.
Within roughly a year of Watsons Jeopardy debut, IBM partnered with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and one of the largest insurers in America, WellPoint, to develop solutions based on Watson technology that would help improve cancer treatments and also increase efficiency and accuracy in medical pre-authorizations. We have since deployed a Watson Healthcare solution in production and early results reinforce the promise that Watson holds of a better quality of life for patients as they receive better, more personalized care that is based on the best available medical knowledge.
More at
http://www.statesman.com/news/business/finding-new-uses-for-ibms-famed-watson-computer/nWcsr/ .