On IBM Research Labs’ beautiful campus in Rüschlikon near Zurich, researchers are developing “cognitive computing” tools and applications, among others.

An IBM paper written in response to a White House request for information explains:

At IBM, we are guided by the term “augmented intelligence” rather than “artificial intelligence.” It is the critical difference between systems that enhance and scale human expertise rather than those that attempt to replicate all of human intelligence. We focus on building practical AI applications that assist people with well-defined tasks, and in the process, expose a range of generalized AI services on a platform to support a wide range of new applications.

We call our particular approach to augmented intelligence “cognitive computing.” Cognitive computing is a comprehensive set of capabilities based on technologies such as machine learning, reasoning and decision technologies; language, speech and vision technologies; human interface technologies; distributed and high-performance computing; and new computing architectures and devices. When purposefully integrated, these capabilities are designed to solve a wide range of practical problems, boost productivity, and foster new discoveries across many industries. This is what we bring to market today in the form of IBM Watson.

Cognitive computing in the kitchen: IBM chef Watson.