Keynote: Beyond Jeopardy! - The Implications of IBM Watson -- FOSE

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Keynote: Beyond Jeopardy! - The Implications of IBM Watson

07/20/2011

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

David McQueeney

IBM Research

Watson, named after IBM founder Thomas J. Watson, was built by a team of IBM researchers who set out to accomplish a grand challenge––build a computing system that rivals a human’s ability to answer questions posed in natural language with speed, accuracy and confidence. The quiz show Jeopardy! provided the ultimate challenge because the game’s clues involve analyzing subtle meaning, irony, riddles and other complexities in which humans excel and computers traditionally do not. Watson passed its first test on Jeopardy!, beating the show's two greatest champions in a televised exhibition match, but the real test will be in applying the underlying data management and analytics technology in government and business. Dr. David McQueeney, Vice President of Software at IBM Research, will provide insights on how the groundbreaking achievements in the technology incorporated with Watson can lead to advancements and efficiencies in such areas as education, economic development, health, transportation and public safety.

Dr. McQueeney is the Vice President of Software at IBM Research and leads IBM’s worldwide software research portfolio, covering all of IBM’s nine worldwide research laboratories. Dave’s background covers a wide range of disciplines ranging from solid state Physics, to high-speed interconnect design, to distributed software development tools, to participation in a startup software company in Scientific Data Analysis, to Government specific industry solutions. Dave has spent about half of his career as a researcher and research executive, and half in IBM’s customer-facing units including Software Group, acting as VP of Technology and Strategy, Global Sales and Distribution, acting as the Global Government Solutions General Manager and leader of the Federal Systems Integration services unit.

via fose.com