Deon Newman

The rapid growth of urban populations and the increasing complexity of supply chains have made the efficient movement of goods and services a top priority for businesses worldwide and in this region. As both commercial and passenger vehicles play a critical role in these systems, the challenge lies in optimising mobility across a range of modalities.

With the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region being a hub for global trade and witnessing a surge in e-commerce activities, the transportation sector’s impact on climate change is more pronounced than ever. The International Energy Agency estimates the transportation sector in APAC consumes approximately 8% of the region’s energy usage, representing 51% of the world’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

At IBM, we’ve built a business by asking the big “what ifs”. And in my role, I spend most of my time thinking about the connectedness of things, and how AI and IoT are truly changing everything. With those two thoughts in mind, today I’m pleased to bring you a world of unlimited – and very connected – “what ifs” with the introduction of Watson Assistant. Watson Assistant is a new AI assistant designed for business.