If you've ever wanted a robot butler or maid (think Rosie from The Jetsons), IBM (IBM) - Get Report is getting you one step closer to making your wishes come true.
IBM and Hilton Worldwide (HLT) - Get Report teamed up to introduce "Connie," a robot concierge that's enabled by Watson, IBM's cognitive computing platform. The robot, which is currently at the Hilton McLean in McLean, Va., is named for Hilton's founder, Conrad Hilton. It can help with visitor requests and give travelers more information to help them with their trips, thanks to Watson and WayBlazer, a travel advice tool that is powered by Watson.
"This project with Hilton and WayBlazer represents an important shift in human-machine interaction, enabled by the embodiment of Watson's cognitive computing," said Rob High, IBM fellow and vice president and chief technology officer of IBM Watson. "Watson helps Connie understand and respond naturally to the needs and interests of Hilton's guests -- which is an experience that's particularly powerful in a hospitality setting, where it can lead to deeper guest engagement."
Connie will take advantage of Watson being a platform and the application programming interface, or API, that goes with it. Connie uses a number of APIs, including Dialog, Speech to Text, Text to Speech and Natural Language Classifier, to help it with guests or answer any of the questions they might have.
Watson is clearly important to the future of IBM, with the company putting extensive resources behind the cognitive computing platform to help it learn and assist in areas such as health care, finances, travel, retail and more. Watson has become so important to the Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM that CEO Ginni Rometty and her team have changed the company's financial reporting to include Watson.
IBM will now report segments as Cognitive Solutions (which includes Watson), Global Business Services, Technology Services & Cloud Platforms, Systems and Global Financing.
Since Connie is powered by Watson, it'll have the ability to adapt over time and learn by processing information and going through various experiences.
The Connie robot, which is a pilot program by Hilton (there may be more in the future), is an example of how IBM has said it would make money off Watson.
At IBM's 2015 investor day, Chief Financial Officer Martin Schroeter said Watson would help generate revenue by being deployed in certain areas of the economy, helping businesses better understand their customers, and assist with specialized consulting, allowing the businesses to gain additional insights about their operations.
Here's a video showing Connie in action:
