The IBM Watson is one of the most futuristic computers today. It employs what its makers call “cognitive technology,” which does work not through traditional computer rules but seeks to emulate cognition like that of humans. One of its most interesting feats is its understanding of natural language.
While massive amounts of information are readily available at our fingertips, we realistically do not have the means to instantly procure “all” the information we need. We can get some but not all. The idea behind IBM Watson is to act as a cognitive entity minus the human limits, and gather information more than we can manage in our lifetime, in an instant.
Imagine information found in millions of books, online sources, or any other media where they can be found. Now imagine a computer that can gather all those pieces of information and from the wide selection it makes, pick the most appropriate one for the task at hand. The possibilities with IBM Watson in aiding research across all fields are vast. This could make breakthroughs take days compared to years or even decades in which they take shape.