The only real business problem is they didn’t program Watson to do what the Healthcare industry actually wants — make more $$$$$. The last thing they want is a computer that can actually diagnose people and provide effective solutions.
> The last thing they want is a computer that can actually diagnose people and provide effective solutions.
Intimately knowing the non-profit side of the healthcare system as well as the construction and operation of data science systems, I wholeheartedly disagree with your assertion and your conclusion as being a general takeaway.
The parent comment assumed that everything in healthcare is profit-motive driven. However, there are large portions of the healthcare industry that are non-profit, that are transparent in their funding and their costs, and that are looking to implement AI to improve healthcare outcomes. Parkland Health and Hospital System, Harris Health System, University Health System are some that I am more familiar with that run with this (PHHS recently achieved HIMMS Level 7 certification, for example). These are social safety-net hospitals and healthcare systems -- they care for everyone regardless of ability to pay. They focus not only on emergency and inpatient care, but also ambulatory care, primary care, and even fund (at arm's length) community (non-profit) medicaid insurers.
On a more subjective side, I've seen a lot of folks out to make a buck, but the non-profit healthcare side has been much more focused on patient outcomes.
