IBM's Watson Moves Beyond Jeopardy (and Learns Spanish)

IBM's Watson supercomputer is going global: The advanced technology will be put to use in six continents and more than 25 countries.

As the cognitive computer gains momentum in the medical and business fields, IBM is spreading the wealth across the world, setting up shop in South Africa, Australia, the U.K., Thailand, Canada, and the U.S.

"Watson is bringing forward a new era of computing, enabling organizations around the globe to launch new businesses, redefine markets and transform industries," Mike Rhodin, senior vice president of the IBM Watson Group, said in a statement.

World-tour stops include financial institutions, hospitals, and universities, where Watson will assist with everything from insurance and investments to student engagement to cancer care. It will also team up with CaixaBank to learn Spanish.

"Watson is fueling a new market and ecosystem of clients, partners, developers, venture capitalists, universities and students," Rhodin said. "The next great innovations will come from people who are able to make connections that others don't see and Watson is making possible."

Some of those innovations may come from IBM's Ecosystem Partners, a new platform of cloud-based apps that use Watson's cognitive intellect in areas like veterinary care and personal travel.

Travelocity and Kayak.com founder Terry Jones is already taking advantage of Watson by launching WayBlazer, a new travel company that uses IBM's computer to engage with and advise users.

Other collaborators include retailers, nonprofits, veterinarians, health care professionals, and IT experts from around the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.

"These innovators, embodying the entrepreneurial spirit, are transforming the ways industry and individuals operate harnessing the power of Watson's cognitive intellect and creating outcomes once thought impossible to achieve," said Stephen Gold, vice president of IBM Watson Group.

The company is also extending its cognitive computing reach by introducing new services available on IBM Bluemix, the cloud-based platform for mobile and Web app development. New services include machine translation, language identification, message resonance, and question-and-answer, among others.

IBM started 2014 with a $1 billion investment in the Watson Group, which focuses on research, development, and cloud-delivered applications.

The company last month introduced Watson Analytics, a sort of "Data for Dummies" concept that provides "instant access to powerful predictive and visual analytic tools for businesses."

For more, see Beyond Jeopardy: Watson Up Close.