IBM's Watson Assistant can now field election questions

Ahead of the U.S. presidential election on November 3, IBM today announced it's working with states to put information into the hands of potential voters. Using the AI and natural language processing capabilities of Watson Assistant, IBM says it's helping field voter queries online and via phone by advising people on polling place locations, voting hours, procedures for requesting mail-in ballots, and deadlines. Research from the Pew Center indicates that nearly half of all U.S. voters expect to have difficulties casting a ballot due to the coronavirus pandemic. In a recent NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll, 41% of those surveyed said they believed the U.S. is not very prepared or not at all prepared to keep November's election safe and secure. IBM's election-focused Watson Assistant offering taps Watson Discovery to surface information about voting logistics from federal, state, and county websites; local news reports; and government documents.