Delighted by a visit from a dozen energetic members of YPO yesterday at IBM’s Silicon Valley Lab briefing center. YPO is the “the premier leadership organization of chief executives in the world” – and I must say they are one of the most inquisitive groups that I have ever presented to: https://www.ypo.org/about-ypo/ – my summary of a few of their questions and my responses here:
Q: Who will make money in a world of advanced AI capabilities? Those who use it wisely. Our data is becoming our AI.
Three Laws of Robo-Economics
https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/JPEO-04-2018-0015
My summary here: https://service-science.info/archives/5021
Summary of open source and AI at IBM: https://developer.ibm.com/blogs/2018/12/12/open-source-ibm-and-ai/
Q: History of IBM? History (and future) of IBM in AI? A long journey of innovations the matter to business and society.
IBM History Video (shown at beginning)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eWxUWJgfzk
Future of AI (my presentation to the group): https://www.slideshare.net/spohrer/ypo-20190131-v1
Q: How will we trust our AI? Working together in the open.
Partnership on AI (ensuring fair and trusted AI)
https://www.partnershiponai.org/
IBM’s AI Fairness 360 software on GitHub (open source): https://github.com/IBM/AIF360
Also, note Linux Foundation Deep Learning landscape: https://github.com/LFDLFoundation/lfdl-landscape
Q: If the future of AI has a large open source component, how will IBM make money? Two models.
How RedHat makes money ($3B annually, >10% CAGR) with an open source product
IBM intent to acquire: https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/monumental-day-open-source-and-red-hat
RedHat’s model to make money (contribute and value-add subscriptions): https://www.techrepublic.com/article/heres-red-hats-open-secret-on-how-to-make-3b-selling-free-stuff/
The alternative model to make money with open source (Amazon – run it in public cloud): https://stratechery.com/2019/aws-mongodb-and-the-economic-realities-of-open-source/
Q: Are patents still important in a world of open source? You bet.
IBM patents (#1 in world for 26 years in a row)
http:// https://www.ibm.com/blogs/research/2019/01/2018-patent/
AI-related patents: https://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2019/article_0001.html
IBM Research summary tweet: https://twitter.com/IBMResearch/status/1090987118728491008
Last but not least, since I just turned 63, I have increasingly noticed that I am the oldest person in the room when I am speaking to groups these days. The dozen members of the YPO were all substantially older than I am, full of energy and inquisitive, and this put a big smile on face – it was a wonderful fun visit together we all had. Only Marc Boegner (IBM) and Sean, the YPO guide leader, were younger than me. What a pleasant surprise!