IBM Watson and Its QAMs
November 27, 2016
“What’s a QAM?” some may ask. The answer is revealed in “What Can Modern Watson Do?” The answer is a question answering machine.” The idea is that one talks to a computing device and the device provides high value, on point output. One can also type the question, but mobile phones are not designed for query formulation. Phones are designed to do Facebook, Twitter, and app-based functions.
The write up is interesting because it reveals that Watson is not a game show winner or the reason to spend a week in Las Vegas at the World of Watson conference. Nope. I learned:
IBM’s Watson as it exists today is as close as we’ve come to a single integrated platform for AI. It contains all the capabilities for image and video, natural language speech and text input and output, and the most comprehensive knowledge recovery module yet combined together.
Consider the gap between IBM Watson and its many competitors. Watson must be making life very difficult for the companies offering smart software systems. One feels sorry for Amazon, Facebook, Google, and other outfits who are not in Watson’s league.
The write up explains that Watson does image and video processing, text and speech processing, and knowledge retrieval.
What caught my attention was the notion of QAMs. I learned that knowledge retrieval (which to me means search) is complex. IBM has not been able to get the media excited about search as about Watson’s other capabilities. Is this a failing of IBM marketing, the system, or the media. Perhaps IBM’s CEO should tweet late at night to amp up the interest in search and retrieval?
The write up points out that Watson combines natural language processing, hypothesis generation and evaluation, and evidence based learning with [a] image processing, [b] text and speech processing, and [c] knowledge retrieval. When these capabilities are placed in one single system, the future is here or maybe just around the corner.
The write up invokes Dave Schubmehl, a person who tried to sell reports containing my information on Amazon for $3,500 a whack for eight pages without my permission. I wonder if Watson assisted him in making this decision? Here’s a passage mentioning this maven which I highlighted in yellow:
David Schubmehl, an analyst at IDC compares IBMs new playbook in AI with Microsoft’s Windows in personal computing and Google’s Android OS in mobile. “IBM is trying to do the same thing with Watson,” he said, “open up a platform, make it available for others, and democratize the technology.”
There you go. IBM Watson is the equivalent of Windows and Google Android. Yep, that works except the analogy is undermined by reality. Watson is not either of these “products.” Watson is a collection of open source code, acquired technology like Vivisimo’s, and home brew code. Keep in mind that IBM Almaden invented some of the guts of Google and did zero with the technology. Clever, right?
The write up identifies these Watson “products for end users.” Yep, “end users” just like me.
- Watson Virtual Agent. Yes, automated customer service
- Watson Explorer. Learn about your customers and their reaction to automated Watson customer service.
- Watson Analytics. A free version is available.
- Watson Knowledge Studio. Do end users code?
- Watson customized for specific industries. Yep, end users build custom apps when they are not binge watching.
- Watson health. Got cancer? Oh, don’t forget to have a doc with access to Watson.
If you are a developer, you can code even more applications. I think the end user examples say quite a bit about Watson. Watson is a collection of stuff. IBM is trying to create a business from odds and ends. I am confident that with a wizard like Dave Schubmehl, Watson will be a success because Watson is just like Windows and Android. Great mid tier consulting thinking. Just like Windows except for the revenue. Just like Android except for the market share. Hey, close enough for horseshoes.
Stephen E Arnold, November 27, 2016
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