AI World roundup

I just got back from a productive three days at AI World in Boston this week. Those are some quick thoughts as I work on a more thorough report for 451 Research clients. About 2,200 people gathered to hear about use cases, technology and business models for AI/machine learning (ML). It was a diverse group at least… Continue reading AI World roundup

Healthcare IT is hard – even with AI & machine learning – but we should pursue it

Healthcare IT is hard. I bring this up as the drumbeat of negative press about IBM Watson has been getting louder recently, especially around healthcare. And now comes this comprehensive report from STAT News - a well-respected source in the health sector - on IBM's efforts with Watson for Oncology. The report outlines the struggles clinicians have… Continue reading Healthcare IT is hard – even with AI & machine learning – but we should pursue it

The paradox of enterprise search

We live in a world in which business decisions are increasingly driven by data. And that data isn't just the structured variety stored in a relational database and accessed via BI tools. The majority of data is unstructured and can be hard to find. This is where enterprise search comes in. The market for enterprise… Continue reading The paradox of enterprise search

Digital transformation: the what, the why and the how

My company - 451 Research - defines Digital Transformation as the result of IT innovation that is aligned with and driven by a well-planned business strategy, with the goal of transforming: how organizations serve customers, employees and partners support continuous improvement in business operations disrupt existing businesses and markets invent new businesses and business models… Continue reading Digital transformation: the what, the why and the how

Salesforce reaches 50th software release & touts machine-learning

As it readies the 50th release of its software suite, Salesforce says it is on course to be the fastest technology company to reach $10bn in revenue. It is slated to reach just north of $8bn in the current fiscal year, which runs through January 31, 2017. Its European business is thriving, according to the… Continue reading Salesforce reaches 50th software release & touts machine-learning

What’s driving machine learning, and where is it taking us?

Of all the places to try out machine learning, the legal market would probably not be the logical choice, given its reputation as a laggard in technology adoption. But about five years ago, machine learning was given a go – in the form of something called predictive coding in a certain area of legal software… Continue reading What’s driving machine learning, and where is it taking us?

Newly minted kCura looks to dominate corporate e-discovery before expanding further

Raising large private investment rounds is something of an anomaly in the world of e-discovery software, due to the relative maturity of many of the players and the somewhat modest total addressable market – at least compared to some other enterprise software segments. When kCura, maker of the SaaS-based Relativity e-discovery suite, announced in February… Continue reading Newly minted kCura looks to dominate corporate e-discovery before expanding further

IBM’s forecast calls for more cloud-based analytics and cognitive computing

With the whole of IBM now marching to its cognitive computing message, the company's Insight conference in Las Vegas was always going to be heavily influenced by analytics, Watson Analytics in particular. After all, it is the combination of advanced analytics – including text analytics and machine learning – in that product that is likely… Continue reading IBM’s forecast calls for more cloud-based analytics and cognitive computing

Dreamforce: a bit Uber the top, but Salesforce drives into new neighborhoods

One of the announcements that came out of Salesforce's recent Dreamforce conference is that the Internet of Things (IoT) is its latest area of focus. As the poster child for the SaaS model, Salesforce has already changed the application software business. It has racked up a market capitalization nudging ever closer to $50bn, and revenue… Continue reading Dreamforce: a bit Uber the top, but Salesforce drives into new neighborhoods

IBM Watson adds more visual clues to analyze as it grows its user base

IBM recently provided an update on its progress with Watson Analytics - a combination of guided analytic discovery and visualization plus predictive analytics all wrapped up in a freemium pricing model. Customers of 451 Research can read my report here, but here's a couple of snippets: IBM is operating in a very crowded analytics market with a… Continue reading IBM Watson adds more visual clues to analyze as it grows its user base