IBM's 'elite' data science squad has kickstarted AI for more than 100 companies

Last year, IBM announced a Data Science Elite team whose only job is to help big enterprise companies push their first AI models into production. Now, more than a year after the program's launch, Rob Thomas, the IBM executive overseeing the AI SWAT team, reports that it has been a "huge success." The team has increased from 30 data scientists to 100, and there are plans to grow significantly next year. "We hire them wherever we can, actually," Thomas said, noting that these data scientists operate all over the world. Companies as diverse as Harley Davidson, Lufthansa, Experian, Sprint, Carrefour, and Siemens used the team for a necessary kickstart on AI projects. And the best part: It's all for free -- or at least there are no contractual obligations to pay.