May 29 (SeeNews) - In Southeast Europe (SEE) cognitive represents an untapped opportunity to innovate, embrace new models, open up new markets and compete globally, Michael Paier, General Manager, IBM South East Europe, told SeeNews.
"In SEE, by 2020 there will be 244 million connected devices - smartphones, buildings, cars, homes, even clothing - and the number of 'connections' to Internet will exceed SEE population by more than five times [...] This kind of digitalization of data and processes - based on cloud, analytics, mobile, social, security - is a very powerful enabler for better efficiency and effectiveness. For example, in SEE it will enable a services industry around Internet of Things (IoT) that by 2020 will be worth $470 million," Paier told SeeNews in an exclusive interview ahead of the IBM South East Europe BusinessConnect 2016 to be held for the first time in the Hungarian capital Budapest. Reflecting on the theme "A New Era of Thinking", the forum will showcase how cognitive insights are driving new ways to engage and open up an entirely new horizon for growth and greatness.
The entire IoT market in SEE will reach $3.18 billion (2.86 billion euro), he added, quoting IDC data.
Following is the full text of the interview:
Q: What is exactly "cognitive"?
A: For us cognitive is about computer systems that can predict outcomes and take actions to change them. These systems are able to recognize patterns and connections in all kinds of data, including the unstructured data that comes from videos, social media, wearable devices, sensors, sounds - and is "invisible" to today's programmable computers. As much as 90% of the data today is unstructured and is never analyzed or acted on. We believe that by 2025 cognitive will generate a worldwide market worth approximately $2 trillion.
Q: What is the difference between digital and cognitive?
A: In 2016 the volume of digital data on the planet is expected to reach one zettabyte - this means the information in all books worldwide multiplied by 30 million. Every single day we generate 2.5 billion gigabytes of data - 2.5 followed by 18 zeros.
In SEE, by 2020 there will be 244 million connected devices - smartphones, buildings, cars, homes, even clothing - and the number of 'connections' to Internet will exceed SEE population by more than five times. Consumer, but also "enterprise" devices will measure, control and make many aspects of our life easier.
This kind of digitalization of data and processes - based on cloud, analytics, mobile, social, security - is a very powerful enabler for better efficiency and effectiveness. For example, in SEE it will enable a services industry around Internet of Things (IoT) that by 2020 will be worth $470 million. The entire IoT market in SEE will reach $3.18 billion, according to IDC data.
Cognition comes with the possibility for digital things to reason and learn, i.e. to "listen" and "understand" all kinds of data to generate insights that lead to a greater value for the organization. Or, when we infuse digital intelligence to the automated digital processes, computer systems become trusted advisors to leaders and our business becomes cognitive.
Q: Is this a vision or reality?
A: Technologies like IBM Watson are turning this vision into a reality because we can instill learning into any product, service, application or system. Watson integrates machine learning and other artificial intelligence technologies into a scalable system that can be accessed through a range of applications.
For example, together with Medtronics, a medical technology and services provider, we are leveraging analytics, cognitive computing and patient engagement with diabetes management devices to help patients predict dangerous low-blood sugar levels up to two hours before they occur. This has the potential to change lives of more than 387 million people with diabetes.
We are working with various industry partners on data discovery models called Expert Storybooks. Weather Company's new Expert Storybook in IBM Watson Analytics, for example, allows users to blend weather data with other business data to better understand how weather impacts business. In the visualization [picture], The Weather Company Expert Storybook shows how weather impacts beer sales.
These are just a few examples showing how IBM is repositioning towards a leading cognitive solutions and cloud platform company.
Q: What about Southeast Europe?
A: In Southeast Europe cognitive represents an untapped opportunity to innovate, embrace new models, open up new markets and compete globally. We are still at the beginning of this journey and I am very proud that IBM is the first company that has initiated the business conversation around cognitive in the region. We already have some examples showing how companies are getting ready for cognitive:
Bulgaria's leading retailer Technopolis is using IBM expertise to merge offline and online customer experience which helped increase the efficiency of their e-commerce platform by 70%, while the number of online orders almost doubled;
Croatian APIS IT Ltd., the company that provides strategic, professional and implementation services to the public and Government sector organizations, has been using IBM technologies to reinvent internal collaboration and as a powerful people-centric platform that goes beyond simple sharing of documents;
Hungarian startup iLex Systems Zrt. tapped IBM cloud for corporate legal solution to introduce an intelligent legal service system;
Serbia's Telekom Srbija, provider of fixed and mobile telecommunications, Internet, and media used IBM to enable centralized data analysis functionality and reporting, which significantly speeds up its data-based decision-making;
Slovenia's first private business accelerator ABC, selected IBM Cloud to provide students, researchers and entrepreneurs a platform for networking, gaining business expertise and developing go-to-market strategies.
Q: What do we all need be aware of when moving forward into the new era of cognitive?
A: As we move forward into the new era of cognitive, we need to keep in mind that this new era requires taking a more strategic view, it requires full integration across the organizations and it also about learning to share and collaborate.
Q: 2016 SEE BusinessConnect is about to begin in Budapest. What is your message to your clients that can not attend?
A: Any client can attend this forum. Everyone outside Hungary are welcome to join us virtually via live stream - on May 30 at 4 pm CET. Please use this link: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/4Wd9j5U4TC4
($=0.8998 euro)