HfS Emerging Market Guide: IBM Watson Services

WHAT THIS BLUEPRINT REPORT COVERS

What makes IBM Watson both interesting and important is that IBM is one of the few companies that is trying to figure out how to get cognitive systems into enterprises – legacy environments and all – in a scaled way. After a period of confusion and false starts, IBM has now positioned Watson as the most ubiquitous cognitive platform available with consumption models suited for enterprises. As IBM develops Watson as an ecosystem and even offers it to other service providers, HfS sees a broader traction in the market, to the extent that HfS decided to launch this study and explore if, how, and why it is gaining momentum. Is Watson starting to evolve as an ecosystem for the broader industry just as we have seen with the likes of Salesforce and Workday? This report covers emerging trends for IBM Watson services, recommendations for buyers and a preliminary service provider analysis.

KEY MARKET DYNAMICS                

• Most enterprise buyers interested in IBM Watson are “kicking the tires” with proof-of-concepts conducted or underway.    

• While IBM is taking Watson to its technology and business services clients through the IBM Global Services group, it isn’t the only provider doing so. 

• IBM has been busy putting together the building blocks for its partner ecosystem to leverage and create a multitude of Watson-powered applications. 

• However, the narrative around this emerging ecosystem is still evolving. With IBM’s opening of its “API economy” approach with Watson, we’ve seen interest in Watson service provision from an array of multinational technology services firms.

WHO SHOULD READ THIS REPORT

Executive leaders and business unit leaders, technology leaders, advisors and outsourcing managers in all industry sectors.

SERVICE PROVIDERS WE DISCUSS

Accenture, Capgemini, DXC Technology, HCL Technologies, Hexaware, IBM, KPMG, TCS, Tech Mahindra, Wipro

WHAT YOU’LL KNOW AFTER READING

• Recommendations for how service buyers as they start exploring the cognitive capabilities of IBM Watson
• How service providers are organizing around the emergent IBM Watson ecosystem 
• Strengths and challenges of the service providers covered in the analysis