IBM enters AI partnership with Salesforce

IBM and Salesforce have entered a strategic partnership to develop customer engagement solutions designed to leverage artificial intelligence.

Under the agreement, the companies will develop solutions based on IBM’s Watson cognitive computing platform and Salesforce’s Einstein customer relationship management (CRM) AI platform.

The collaboration will initially involve integrating Watson APIs into Salesforce. IBM will also introduce IBM Weather Insights (via subsidiary The Weather Company) and an IBM Application Integration Suite for Salesforce.

The first of the new services — the application integration suite — is expected to launch by the end of the month, with the others following in the second half of the year.

Together, the two AIs will analyse data and provide recommendations aimed at accelerating decision-making and improving the customer experience.

As part of the collaboration, IBM will also establish a new practice within its Bluewolf consulting unit to help clients rapidly deploy the joint solutions, and will deploy Salesforce Service Cloud across IBM’s own internal operations.

“Within a few years, every major decision — personal or business — will be made with the help of AI and cognitive technologies,” IBM CEO Ginni Rometty predicted.

“This year we expect Watson will touch one billion people, through everything from oncology and retail to tax preparation and cars. Now, with today’s announcement, the power of Watson will serve the millions of Salesforce and Einstein customers and developers to provide an unprecedented understanding of customers.”

Image courtesy of Leonid Mamchenkov under CC

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