Jeff Schick, IBM vice president of social software, recently conducted a live demonstration of a version of IBM’s Connections software connected to the company’s Watson technology. Watson was the Jeopardy playing artificial intelligence system now being used in healthcare and other key verticals. In a social networking setting,

Watson is a plug in where community members—-in this case physicians and health care workers—-can ask questions. Watson dutifully served up answers. Applied to other industries the social Watson connection becomes clear. “Watson will be manning the discussion forums,” said Schick, who noted that Watson can become an effective corporate extension that dishes out intellectual property as well as service. Via ZDNet