IBM sells off Watson AI healthcare unit - Verdict

IBM is to sell off the data assets of its AI-powered Watson Health operation to private equity firm Francisco Partners, in move which pretty much ends the story for the beleaguered healthcare unit. Announced on Friday, exact details of the deal were undisclosed, but media reports suggested a sale of more than $1bn. The sell-off marks an end to IBM's healthcare ambitions, as the Armonk, NY based giant concentrates on its hybrid cloud business. Where reports earlier in the month had suggested IBM was looking to sell off the entirety of the poorly performing unit, last week's deal is a sale of Watson Health's data and analytics assets. IBM had previously built out Watson Health through a series of acquisitions totalling more than $4bn.