Watson's New Gig

Health insurer WellPoint and IBM are set to announce a deal regarding the implementation of the Watson computer system for health care, The Wall Street Journal reports, adding that this would be "the first time the high-profile project will result in a commercial application." While the "exact terms of the agreement weren't disclosed," IBM's Steven Mills tells the paper that the system "could be used in settings as varied as call centers and offices doing engineering and scientific work, and he believes the Watson technology carries the potential to grow into a business generating $1 billion of annual revenue," the WSJ says. WellPoint officials "ultimately want to provide the Watson service more broadly to physicians who treat complicated chronic conditions, and they hope to create an application that could be accessed directly by patients seeking health information," the paper adds. WellPoint Executive Vice President Lori Beer tells the Journal that at present, it's "too soon to tell" whether her firm plans to eventually sell Watson-based services to medical providers.