IBM Watson: Why is it such a big deal?

In January this year, a Japanese insurance firm replaced 34 of its employees with an AI system based on IBM Watson. One of the reasons why IBM Watson is so important is because IBM has opened Watson up to businesses and developers. IBM opened up Watson application programming interfaces in 2015, allowing developers to use the cloud-based artificial intelligence system with their own programs. Cognitive intelligence, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality all present opportunities for businesses to serve their customers in new and exciting ways.