NEXT speaker series explores IBM Watson, transformational technology

November 2, 2012
Categories: News

IBM’s transformational Watson technology took center stage at UNC Charlotte Oct. 29 and Nov. 2, through the Belk College of Business NEXT speaker series.

The Watson artificial intelligence system revolutionized technology when it was introduced in 2011. Perhaps best known for its appearances on the television quiz show Jeopardy!, Watson is now being used to transform how organizations think, act, and operate in the future. Learning through interactions, it delivers evidence-based responses driving better outcomes.

Events at UNC Charlotte included:

  • A presentation to the university community and more than 400 undergraduate students, providing a general introduction to IBM Watson and transformational technology;
  • A presentation to 250 graduate students, alumni and members of the business community, outlining how Watson technology is being implemented in different industries;
  • A technical seminar for nearly 100 doctoral and graduate students in computer science and business, describing the natural-language and machine-learning technologies behind Watson;
  • A workshop for faculty on introducing Watson into the curriculum through programs such as case competitions and case studies.

IBM selected UNC Charlotte to showcase their new “Watson at Work” university initiatives due to the university’s expertise and growing reputation in data science and business analytics. The Belk College is partnering with the UNC Charlotte College of Computing & Informatics to develop an industry-university-government collaboration to broaden and deepen North Carolina’s ability to develop business analytics talent and stimulate strategic innovation. The Watson programs provided an excellent introduction to the key concepts of transformational technology for the university community and the general public.

The Belk College’s NEXT speaker series explores “tomorrow’s ideas, today” by focusing on the ideas, people and trends driving what’s next in business. To learn more about NEXT or join the NEXT mailing list, visit the NEXT website.