For IBM, Watson in the Cloud Is a Brilliant Opportunity

Supercomputing power on demand? IBM is making it possible by connecting its Watson technology to the cloud, Fool contributor Tim Beyers says in the following video.

For those who don't know, Watson is a supremely effective index of knowledge and information accessible via natural-language query. The technology has proven itself on Jeopardy! no less, and will soon be available to any developer that wants access to the system for creating beefed-up apps. It's a smart move, Tim says.

Why? Watson is a massive (and massively complex) system that would be cost-prohibitive to sell, install, and manage as an on-premises supercomputer. By selling its analytical prowess as a service, Big Blue gets access to more pay-as-you-go customers.

There are also marketing benefits to consider. Putting Watson online exposes a larger audience to the system, which, in the process, should further IBM's reputation as a go-to innovator with the tools to harness big data. More than $16 billion is at stake, Tim says.

Do you agree? Would you use Watson in the cloud for big data projects? Watch the video to get Tim's full take, then leave a comment to let us know what you think.

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The article For IBM, Watson in the Cloud Is a Brilliant Opportunity originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Tim Beyers is a member of the Motley Fool Rule Breakers stock-picking team and the Motley Fool Supernova Odyssey I mission. He owned shares of IBM and Netflix at the time of publication. Check out Tim's web home and portfolio holdings or connect with him on Google+, Tumblr, or Twitter, where he goes by @milehighfool. You can also get his insights delivered directly to your RSS reader.The Motley Fool recommends Netflix. The Motley Fool owns shares of International Business Machines and Netflix. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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