i3 - January/February 2019 - 8

Tech

By Cindy Loffler Stevens

I N N OVATO R

IBM's Ginni Rometty
Leading in the AI Era

Q What top technologies are transforming industries and how are they improving
people's lives?
A A lot of the mainstream focus is on the big
internet platforms - the companies that we
see on our phones or browsers every day -
and how that technology has changed our
lives. But a more interesting and even more
meaningful story is how businesses are being
transformed by technology.
We see a major shift in how people work
and how businesses and industries operate.
It's driven by technologies like cloud and AI
and by the emergence of data as the world's
next great natural resource. As with all-natural
resources, the value is in refining it.
What many people don't appreciate is that
only 20 percent of data today is searchable
on the Web and accessible by big internet
platforms. The other 80 percent belongs to
the world's large businesses and institutions.
Harnessing that data, learning from it and
using it to completely transform the way work

BM Chairman, President and CEO Virginia (Ginni) Rometty
believes artificial intelligence (AI), cloud, blockchain and quantum computing are strategic drivers of innovation going forward.
Born in Chicago, she is the first female CEO to lead IBM's nearly
400,000 employees. Under her leadership, the company has
morphed from its Big Blue roots into a world leader in AI and
cloud computing for business.
One key to IBM's transformation is AI, in the form of IBM's Watson,
which leverages deep learning technologies. Watson is helping customers
use AI-enhanced tech to solve business problems. The IBM cloud helps
clients become disruptors in their fields by accessing innovative technologies like blockchain, IoT and even quantum, while also leveraging data wherever it
resides. Ginni said, "If you learn exponenWe are about to see the
tially, you become the disruptor versus the
beginning of a new
disrupted." She added, "We are about to see
exponential shift. Take all
the beginning of a new exponential shift.
Take all the data and add AI to it, and that
the data and add AI to it,
is how you get exponential learning."
and that is how you get
Ginni began her career at General Motors
exponential learning.
and then moved to IBM as a system engineer in 1981. She has since held many senior
positions including leading the integration
of PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting and creating a
global team of more than 100,000 business consultants and services experts. She is a passionate advocate
for education and preparing society for the new era of
data that is transforming how business is done. This
includes equipping workers for "new collar" jobs in
emerging technology fields.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in computer
science and electrical engineering from Northwestern
University, where she also was awarded an honorary
degree. She has an honorary degree from Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute as well. Ginni serves on the Council
on Foreign Relations, the board of trustees of
Northwestern University and the boards of overseers
and managers of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer
Center. She is also co-chair of the Aspen Institute's Cyber
Group. She recently talked with i3 about IBM's plans.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

I T I S I N N O VAT I O N

i3 - January/February 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of i3 - January/February 2019