by Angela Guess

According to a recent press release, “IBM today announced the launch of IBM Watson Data Kits, which are designed to accelerate the development of AI applications to help support faster, more informed decision making for business leaders. Watson Data Kits will provide companies across industries with pre-enriched, machine readable, industry-specific data that can enable them to scale AI across their business. With expected availability in 2Q 2018, the kits will initially serve the travel and transportation and food industries with Watson Data Kits for travel points of interest and food menus, respectively. Data scientists currently spend roughly 79% of their time collecting, organizing and mining data to glean actionable insights (Source: Forbes, 2016), making it challenging for business leaders to implement must-have AI technology at scale.”

The release goes on, “By helping to streamline and accelerate the development process for data scientists and AI engineers, companies can now quickly extract rich insights, create more engaging consumer experiences and ultimately drive greater business value. ‘Big data is fueling the cognitive era. However, businesses need the right data to truly drive innovation,’ said Kristen Lauria, General Manager of Watson Media and Content. ‘IBM Watson Data Kits can help bridge that gap by providing the machine-readable, pre-trained data companies require to accelerate AI development and lead to a faster time to insight and value. Data is hard, but Watson can make it easier for stakeholders at every level, from CIOs to data scientists’.”

Read more at IBM.

Photo credit: IBM