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IBM’s Watson joins H&R Block to explain taxes to humans

The cognitive computing platform is adding tax preparation to his seemingly endless resume of occupations.

Barry Levine on February 6, 2017 at 10:27 am

IBM’s logo for Watson

IBM’s Watson — the cognitive computing platform that refuses to be pigeonholed — is now donning a green eyeshade.

That’s because he is setting up shop for the first time as a tax expert, a result of a new partnership announced recently between his parent company and H&R Block, the tax preparation company that essentially invented that industry more than 60 years ago.

As a result, the cloud-based Watson will be visually presenting tax issues to as many as 11 million clients who visit H&R Block’s 12,000 offices, while he is also looking over the shoulder of the tax preparers to offer advice. His new occupation was highlighted in a commercial shown in the first quarter of this Sunday’s Super Bowl, since his name adds a marketing advantage to any intellectually challenging endeavor.

[Read the full article on MarTech Today.]

About The Author

Barry Levine

Barry Levine covers marketing technology for Third Door Media. Previously, he covered this space as a Senior Writer for VentureBeat, and he has written about these and other tech subjects for such publications as CMSWire and NewsFactor. He founded and led the web site/unit at PBS station Thirteen/WNET; worked as an online Senior Producer/writer for Viacom; created a successful interactive game, PLAY IT BY EAR: The First CD Game; founded and led an independent film showcase, CENTER SCREEN, based at Harvard and M.I.T.; and served over five years as a consultant to the M.I.T. Media Lab. You can find him at LinkedIn, and on Twitter at xBarryLevine.