Watson powered mobile apps?

A Watson powered mobile app? [Video]

Watson, IBM’s “cognitive” computing system most famous for beating former Jeopardy! champions at their own game, is becoming a mobile platform, reports Digiday.

The goal of the challenge is not to turn Watson into a mobile operating system like Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS, however. Instead, IBM wants app developers to create apps that will end up on other companies’ mobile operating systems. So whenever Watson-powered apps do come to market, Apple, Google and Windows will stand to profit from whatever subscription or ad revenue those apps generate. (Mobile operating systems take a small portion of the revenue apps earn on their platforms.)

IBM will select which developers get to access Watson’s brain based upon the commercial viability of their idea.

“Because cognitive is new, there aren’t that many experts out there; we’re not just saying go forth and prosper,” according to IBM’s general manager of ecosystem development Sandy Carter. “IBM is the expert, and we’re going to help you and we’re going to accelerate that journey.”

Read the whole story at Digiday