In the year since we unveiled IBM’s enterprise generative AI (gen AI) and data platform, we’ve collaborated with numerous software companies to embed IBM watsonx™ into their apps, offerings and solutions. By equipping partners with the latest gen AI technologies, expertise and support, we’re helping them make an impact across industries, including financial services, IT, sales, business intelligence and sports.

To build on this momentum, we continue to introduce new capabilities around watsonx, such as our open source IBM® Granite™ code models to simplify coding, IBM Concert® to help provide gen AI-driven insights across customer applications, watsonx.ai Lightweight Engine to enable ISVs and developers to scale AI across clouds while optimizing costs, and updates to our watsonx assistants.

In the past year, I’ve spoken with hundreds of partners about their success using watsonx in enterprise and consumer-facing offerings. The growing support, collaboration and innovation I’ve experienced from partners over the past twelve months confirms that we’re on the right path.

Two compelling examples of our partnerships in action are TruGolf’s use of watsonx to enhance its golf simulators and Salesloft’s integration of watsonx into its sales platform to assist sales teams.

Personalizing golf with TruGolf and watsonx.ai

We recently collaborated with TruGolf, a leading seller and distributor of golf simulator software and hardware, to embed IBM® watsonx.ai™ into its E6 APEX Golf Simulator Software. TruGolf’s mission is to make golf more accessible and enjoyable for everyone, something I (and my swing) can appreciate.

This partnership was showcased at Think 2024, where attendees could take a simulated swing at Pebble Beach’s iconic seventh hole and receive highly personalized AI-generated insights, demonstrating how AI can impact their golf game.

Like many of our partners, TruGolf is processing a wealth of data. “When we first started working with the IBM team, we had tons of data that we wanted to use but we didn’t have access to the right toolset,” TruGolf Chief Experience Officer Nate Larsen told me recently. “Watsonx gave us a lot more power.” With watsonx, TruGolf can tailor its guidance to each player’s unique playing style to help them improve future shots and determine the best approach to each hole.

Looking ahead, TruGolf intends to explore how watsonx gen AI capabilities can enhance simulations with club recognition, club head speed measurement and more in-depth analysis of any shot, on any golf course.

With watsonx holding the clubs, TruGolf intends to create a “smart caddy” experience to inform their play. “That’s where this is going: an intelligent caddy that knows how you play,” Larsen said. “The smart analysis of how to play is the future of the game of golf.”

Salesloft uses gen AI for fast-moving sales teams

At the start of 2024, Salesloft began working with IBM to help sales teams quickly process and understand key aspects of their conversations to close more deals. Salesloft embedded watsonx into its platform to help enhance the summarization capabilities and action-item components of its Conversations offering, which is now generally available.

“In our evaluation of gen AI versus legacy AI, we focused on AI that leverages LLMs and transcript analysis,” Stephen Sper, Salesloft’s Director of Engineering, told me. “These technologies offer significant potential to streamline and automate daily sales activities at scale. Partnering with IBM was a strategic decision, as building an LLM in-house would not be an efficient use of our resources. IBM’s established expertise and industry trust make it an ideal integration partner.”

IBM designed watsonx as a gen AI offering for enterprises, setting it apart from the growing number of large language model (LLM) offerings that use public data to build their models. “Many of our customers are global enterprises, and building trust with these organizations is of utmost importance,” Sper said. “IBM inherently understands the complexities that come with enterprise businesses, and their expertise is reflected in watsonx.”

Looking ahead, Salesloft plans to integrate watsonx into more of its offerings, enabling customers to tap into the power of IBM enterprise gen AI to enhance seller productivity, identify pipeline risks and validate sales forecasts. This work is supported by IBM’s decades-long efforts in advancing powerful new generative AI technologies for the enterprise, emphasizing governance, explainability, indemnification and trust.   

Investing in trustworthy gen AI to drive innovation for customers

My conversations with Stephen and Nate, along with many similar discussions over the past year, highlight how companies of all sizes and industries are collaborating with IBM to embed watsonx. These collaborations help address the cost, skills and governance concerns traditionally associated with the technology.

Our gen AI platform, designed to meet enterprise needs, along with our growing ecosystem of innovative partners, brings new business use cases and exciting features to customers everywhere.