Watson is the world’s most powerful computing platform in the field of artificial intelligence. Developed by IBM, it became more widely known in 2011 on winning the US television quiz show “Jeopardy!”. Nowadays, Watson performs invaluable services, notably in the fields of healthcare, transportation, retail and more.
Watson stands for a future in which superhuman complexity will be mastered with superhuman intelligence. Without it, we will be unable to solve problems like global warming, diseases or poor education. But where and for which aspects of our lives does technology make sense? “With its consciously controversial choice of prize winner, the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute wants to contribute to this discussion,” says Sarah Kreienbühl, Chairwoman of the GDI Board of Trustees.
Previous winners of the Gottlieb Duttweiler Prize include successful leaders such as Václav Havel, Joschka Fischer and Kofi A. Annan. Yet today, the era of lone warriors seems to be over; the future belongs to teams made up of humans and machines. Watson was thus the result of a collective effort. “Our future depends on how humans and machines work together,” says David Bosshart, CEO of the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute. Watson is the result of such a collective effort.
The politically impartial Gottlieb Duttweiler Prize is awarded at irregular intervals for outstanding achievements and contributions to the well-being of the wider community. The award will be accepted on 7 May 2019 by John E. Kelly III, who leads IBM Research.