Here is a brief excerpt from an interview of Steve Hamm, co-author of Smart Machines: IBM’s Watson and the Era of Cognitive Computing, published by Columbia University Press. He discusses cognitive computing and how it is changing the work and research being done at IBM and elsewhere. To read the complete interview, obtain information about CUP and its wealth of resources, and sign up for free email alerts about new and imminent publications, please click here.
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What is the era of cognitive computing?
John Kelly and other leaders at IBM believe that we’re on the cusp of a new era in computing. Scientists at IBM and elsewhere are creating machines that sense, learn, reason and interact with people in new ways. These machines will help people overcome our mental biases and penetrate complexity so we can make better decisions.
You can think of a cognitive system as a truly intelligent assistant that helps individuals live and work more successfully, and that helps organizations become more efficient and effective. The implications are huge for individuals, businesses and society as a whole. With these technologies, we will be able to make the world work better and more sustainably.
Is IBM Watson a cognitive computer?
Scientists in IBM Research see Watson as a transitional technology. Using machine learning, natural language processing and statistical techniques, they were able to achieve an amazing feat: to beat two past grand-champions at the TV quiz show Jeopardy!Watson represents a major first step toward the era of cognitive systems—and, in fact, the Watson technology of today is much improved over the technology that was showcased on Jeopardy!
However, scientists at IBM and elsewhere are working on advances in a wide range of technology fields, including learning systems, information management, and hardware systems design, which will ultimately produce computers that are very different from today’s machines. They will operate more like the human brain works, though they will be by no means a replacement for human intelligence. They’ll be extremely powerful yet also extremely power efficient.
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To read the complete interview, please click here.
According to Steve, “I’m a communications strategist and writer for IBM, where I have worked since 2009. At IBM, I co-authored the company’s centennial book, Making the World Work Better. I write a mix of essays, white papers and blog postings for the Smarter Planet blog (http://asmarterplanet.com) Previously, I was a journalist for 30 years, the last 12 at BusinessWeek, where I wrote about innovation, globalization, and leadership. Before that, I worked for PC Week, The San Jose Mercury News, The New Haven Register, and other newspapers. I published two other books, Bangalore Tiger, about the rise of the Indian tech industry, and The Race for Perfect, about innovation in mobile computing. I grew up in a coal mining town in Western Pennsylvania.”