Inside IBM's Bold Vision For AI: 7 Strategic Insights From CEO Ginni Rometty

IBM CEO Ginni Rometty: "Look, we really think this is about man and machine, not man vs. machine." He now runs his own firm, Evans Strategic Communications LLC.) CLOUD WARS -- As AI enters the mainstream of not only consumer consciousness but also business strategy, you could make a pretty good case that IBM and its Watson brand have been by far the primary drivers behind this profound phenomenon. Unless Watson and AI generating huge gobs of new revenue for IBM, who cares? Well, one person who cares very deeply about the rapid emergence of AI is Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella--and if you're wondering about Nadella's chops in AI, consider that as he's boosted Microsoft's market cap by $250 billion during his 3-1/2 years as CEO, he's also created a global AI team of more than 5,000 computer scientists and engineers. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that any significant business--whether inside or outside the tech industry--that's not aggressively evaluating the potential impacts of AI on its customers and industry is being short-sighted at best and profoundly foolish at worst.