The Internet of Things (IoT) phenomenon is a major talking point right now in the world of innovation, more specifically how it will grow and develop in the future. With the many challenges that IOT brings, such is the case with any developing aspect of innovation, comes the inevitable curiosity. One such challenge will be the utilisation of IoT within the business sector, otherwise known as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), to toughen up bridges between manufacturers and customers. The seeds of this development are already present within the use of automated phone call systems and online chat bots. But the Chief Evangelist and Vice-President of Business Process Management Technology of customer relationship software company Pegasystems, Setrag Khoshafian, says that although it's in its infancy, the integration of IoT within businesses "is growing faster than one would think", referencing voice activation software such as Alexa, Google Assistant and Pegasystems' own OnStar as an aspect that could thrive in a business setting.

The utopia of driverless cars may still be out of reach, but General Motors wants to ensure that today's vehicles provide a unique or individual experience. The carmaker has partnered with IBM to develop what GM calls a "cognitive mobility platform" that will deliver personalized content while on the road. The partnership brings together GM's connected vehicle system OnStar with IBM's learning supercomputer Watson in the form of a platform called OnStar Go. According to a press release, OnStar Go is the auto industry's first such cognitive computing platform and will give drivers the opportunity to connect or interact with their favored brands while behind the wheel. Or to put it another way, the platform will make sure the driver makes the most of her or his time in the car. "Combining OnStar's industry leading vehicle connectivity and data capabilities with IBM Watson APIs will create experiences that allow drivers and passengers to achieve greater levels of efficiency and safety," said General Motors.

General Motors Co. GM -0.06 % is enlisting digital smarts from International Business Machines Corp. IBM 0.62 % 's Watson artificial intelligence technology in an effort to leapfrog other tech companies angling for a role inside the car. The auto maker on Wednesday is unveiling a new version of its OnStar system to offer mobile-commerce services beyond navigation and entertainment. The system, dubbed OnStar Go, is designed to learn from users' behavior to deliver personalized offers from partners such as Exxon Mobil Corp. XOM 0.43 % For instance, the system might alert drivers who need fuel to make it to their next destination and point the way to Exxon Mobil stations en route. IBM CEO Ginni Rometty talks about how her company has changed its focus as the world has changed.

Artificial intelligence isn't just being used to automate cars... it's finding a home in conventional cars, too. GM has unveiled a partnership with IBM that will see the Watson cognitive computing platform power OnStar Go, its latest in-car service offering. The AI technology will suggest stores and services based on your location, your decisions and your habits. If you're driving home from work, for example, OnStar can remind you to pick up shopping on the way back. It can also recommend restaurants when you arrive in a new city, or tell you that a store order is ready for pickup.

General Motors Co. GM -0.27 % is enlisting digital smarts from International Business Machines Corp. IBM 0.84 % 's Watson artificial intelligence technology in an effort to leapfrog other tech companies angling for a role inside the car. The auto maker on Wednesday is unveiling a new version of its OnStar system to offer mobile-commerce services beyond navigation and entertainment. The system, dubbed OnStar Go, is designed to learn from users' behavior to deliver personalized offers from partners such as Exxon Mobil Corp. XOM -0.04 % For instance, the system might alert drivers who need fuel to make it to their next destination and point the way to Exxon Mobil stations en route. IBM CEO Ginni Rometty talks about how her company has changed its focus as the world has changed.

General Motors and IBM have partnered to bring personalized content to drivers. GM's new OnStar system, which is called OnStar Go, will incorporate IBM's Watson artificial intelligence technology in an attempt to optimize the driver's time in the vehicle. But there's a catch – targeted offers and services. Thanks to IBM, OnStar Go will learn from drivers' behaviors and provide customized offers from GM's partners, which of right now include Exxon Mobil, iHeartRadio, Glympse, Parkopedia, and Mastercard. If your GM vehicle needs fuel, for instance, OnStar Go would point you towards an Exxon Mobil gas station.

General Motors said Wednesday it had reached a partnership to integrate tech giant IBM's artificial intelligence platform into its vehicle infotainment system, giving it the ability to make dining recommendations and order prescriptions. The Detroit-based automaker will pair IBM's Watson with its popular safety and connectivity system in more than 2 million 4G LTE-connected vehicles to create OnStar Go. The company said examples of how the pairing could bear fruit include getting dining recommendations, reminders about the need to buy household items and help retrieving prescriptions from the pharmacy. Among the first applications: Drivers will be able to use the "cognitive mobility platform" to locate ExxonMobil gas stations and pay on screen in the vehicle, GM said. They will also be able to use the OnStar Go system to get customized music playlists from mobile app iHeartRadio.

Future buyers of General Motors Co. GM -3.88 % 's semiautonomous driving system will have to be comfortable with Big Brother sitting in the passenger seat. The nation's largest auto maker aims to release its Super Cruise on a Cadillac next year, and will feature eye tracking in the cabin, a first for a U.S. car maker. GM will duel with Volvo Car Corp.'s Pilot Assist and Tesla Motors Inc. TSLA -1.46 % 's Autopilot, both driver-assistance systems that can control a moving vehicle. While Tesla's Autopilot requires periodic handling by the driver, GM's system is expected to go a step further in monitoring the alertness of human drivers. Super Cruise's 2017 launch will come amid heightened scrutiny of systems that use cameras, sensors or radar to let the car do much of the driving at higher speeds.