IBM's Project Intu puts Watson AI into any device

Dive Brief:

IBM has rolled out the experimental Project Intu platform, which is system-agnostic and allows developers to embed Watson’s artificial intelligence into any device, the company announced in a press release.
The platform makes it easier for developers to create cognitive experiences in device form factors like spaces, avatars, robots or Internet of Things devices. It also extends cognitive tech into the physical world.
Project Intu is accessible via the Watson Developer Cloud and available on Intu Gateway and GitHub.

Dive Insight:

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of more devices, and as an industry forerunner it’s not surprising that IBM would have a platform that could theoretically allow developers to include Watson’s AI in any device. One potential strength of the platform is it promises developers with a ready-made environment for building cognitive experiences across many operating systems including Windows, MacOS, Linux and Raspberry Pi.

"IBM is taking cognitive technology beyond a physical technology interface like a smartphone or a robot toward an even more natural form of human and machine interaction," said Rob High, IBM Fellow, VP and CTO, IBM Watson, in the press release. "Project Intu allows users to build embodied systems that reason, learn and interact with humans to create a presence with the people that use them – these cognitive-enabled avatars and devices could transform industries like retail, elder care, and industrial and social robotics."

Another move that illustrates how AI is becoming more an everyday part of technology, Facebook recently released an AI-driven tech called Caffe2Go that renders images and videos in real-time into a more artistic look through a process called style transfer. Facebook’s best known AI tech is its world-class facial recognition ability with what has been reported to have as high as a 98% success rate.

Together, the IBM and Facebook news point to how AI is becoming more accessible and foreshadows a future where a single, powerful intelligence exists that people can connect to no matter where they are, something AI experts say is still a few years away.