Academic Perspective:Explaining Cognitive Computing

to Faculty and StudentsJim Spohrer

March 1, 2017

“Open – for business, science, and accelerated innovation.”

Understanding where cognitive computing fits into the scientific study of the world today• To truly appreciate and understand the study of cognitive computing,

we invite faculty and students to think back to the the early days of IBM, and something that the entrepreneurial founder of IBM, Thomas J. Watson, said… “Think!”• After all, cognition is just a scientific word for mental processes or,

even more simply, for thinking…

Think!

• Thomas J. Watson, Sr. created the THINK slogan which later became IBM’s business motto. • “All the problems of the world could be settled

easily if men were only willing to think. The trouble is that men very often resort to all sorts of devices in order not to think, because thinking is such hard work.”

What Cognitive Computing is and is not• Cognitive computing is the study of how people and machine can think

better together.• Cognitive computing is NOT about machines doing ALL the thinking for

us!• Cognitive computing, done right, will help us all become better thinkers

and decision makers in a complex, dynamic world of accelerating change.• Cognitive computing, done right, is a tool for exercising our minds and

making them stronger and more adaptable.• Pardon the pun, but think of it this way…

Academic disciplines that study thinking/cognition• Psychology (people) – the study of thinking in people,

or biological cognitive system entities.• Artificial Intelligence (machines) – the study of cognition in machines,

or digital cognitive system entities.• Cognitive Science (both) – the study of thinking in both biological and

digital systems entities.• Cognitive Computing (better together) – the study of how people and

machines can think better together.

Major areas in the scientific study of thinking...

Psychology

CognitiveComputing

ArtificialIntelligence

Cognitive Science

People

People + Machines,Better Together

Machines

People & Machines

Academic Disciplines Focal Entities

delegation

collaboration

Remember to

Think!

• Thomas J. Watson, Sr. created the THINK slogan which later became IBM’s business motto. • “All the problems of the world could be settled

easily if men were only willing to think. The trouble is that men very often resort to all sorts of devices in order not to think, because thinking is such hard work.”

CognitiveComputing• People and

machines thinking better together• in business,

you can then outthink the competition

If you are interested in the study of thinking, what type of cognition do you want to study?• Psychology (people)• Artificial Intelligence (machines)• Cognitive Science (both)• Cognitive Computing (better together)

• This course will teach you the basics of cognitive computing, starting with some topics in data science and software engineering using artificial intelligence components for tasks that people often need help with like transcribing speech, recognizing images, and understanding written text.

Future courses and IBM’s vision for open cognitive computing - thinking better together

• (1) Speed: Learning to rapidly rebuild cognitive systems from scratch• (2) Research: Working together on grand challenges of psychology,

artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and cognitive computing• (3) Journeys: Everyone as a developer of a cognitive system to help

them in their personal and professional lives – your cognitive mediator that is learning and thinking with you in the age of accelerations

Quiz: Match disciplines that study thinking/cognition to their focus• 1. Psychology

• 2. Artificial Intelligence

• 3. Cognitive Science

• 4. Cognitive Computing

• A. Better together

• B. Both

• C. Machines

• D. People