IBM Buys Seek AI: Watsonx Boost | The Register
- IBM is opening a Watsonx AI lab in New York City to foster collaboration on agentic AI solutions.The initiative aims to connect IBM's resources with the city's vibrant...
- Agentic AI, which allows generative AI models to perform a series of tasks by connecting to various applications and data sources, is a key focus.
- While agentic AI offers potential benefits, automating tasks also carries risks due to the increased likelihood of unexpected behavior as the number of steps grows.
IBM is aggressively pursuing agentic AI, opening a new Watsonx AI lab in New York city to boost its capabilities. This initiative signifies IBM’s commitment to connecting with the city’s thriving startup surroundings, seeking to foster collaboration and cultivate innovative solutions. The primary focus of the lab will be on agentic AI, powering generative AI models to perform complex tasks by integrating with various applications and data sources. The agentic AI focus from IBM includes co-creating offerings for customer service and cybersecurity. Successful startups collaborating within the lab can expect technical and marketing support. Further, strategic investments from IBM are a possibility. This advancement builds upon the company’s shift towards watsonx, an enterprise AI and data platform, which is already showing positive results. For more news and insights into IBM’s developments, stay tuned to News Directory 3. Discover what’s next in this rapidly changing technological landscape.
IBM Launches Watsonx AI Lab in NYC for Agentic AI
Updated June 2, 2025
IBM is opening a Watsonx AI lab in New York City to foster collaboration on agentic AI solutions.The initiative aims to connect IBM’s resources with the city’s vibrant AI startup ecosystem.
Agentic AI, which allows generative AI models to perform a series of tasks by connecting to various applications and data sources, is a key focus. For Seek AI, this could mean an agent turning a query result into a graph or piping data to another application.
While agentic AI offers potential benefits, automating tasks also carries risks due to the increased likelihood of unexpected behavior as the number of steps grows.
IBM envisions the lab as a hub where technology companies can collaborate with its staff and clients to explore AI software and services. the facility will concentrate on co-creating AI solutions for customer service, supply chain optimization, cybersecurity, responsible AI governance, and open-source AI.
The goal is to enable New York City’s AI startups to partner with IBM and its customers to address business challenges. The lab will support projects involving local academic and research institutions. Successful startups can expect technical and marketing support, and potential investment from IBM.
Kyndryl, an IBM spinoff, emphasizes co-design, where clients and vendors jointly develop solutions. This approach shifts financial risk to the client, possibly limiting the vendor’s obligation if the product fails.
IBM’s Watson gained prominence in 2011 after winning against human contestants on Jeopardy! However, subsequent marketing efforts and product deployments did not consistently deliver the same level of success.
A 2017 University of Texas audit revealed governance issues with the Watson-based MD Anderson Cancer Center’s “Oncology Expert Advisor (OEA) Project,” which cost $62 million between 2014 and 2016. Reports later indicated that Watson provided unsafe and incorrect cancer treatment recommendations. IBM divested Watson Health in early 2022.
In 2023, IBM shifted its focus to watsonx, an AI and data platform for enterprises.
According to IBM CFO James Kavanaugh, this transition is yielding positive results. He noted that generative AI products, including AI assistants, agents, and the watsonx platform, contributed significantly to the company’s software growth during the first quarter of 2025.
What’s next
IBM plans to expand the Watsonx AI Labs initiative, fostering further collaboration and innovation in the field of agentic AI and enterprise solutions.