A conversation with Chris Williams, Lead Solution Architect at IBM
Chris Williams is a Lead Solution Architect in IBM’s Data Science & AI team and was previously the Chief Architect for IBM Watson in Europe. He works with IBM’s clients and partners across all industries. Chris specialises in using AI and data to add real value to businesses. He was part of Watson from its commercial launch in 2014. Prior to this Chris worked in big data, analytics and data warehousing for 20 years delivering large scale analytics projects in retail, telecommunications and government. Chris is a Fellow of the British Computer Society.
BRW: What do you hope attendees will gain at your event/s?
I hope that people will be inspired to get excited about the possibilities that AI offers to make our lives better. I also hope that they will see AI as something that is real today and can be implemented in businesses right now. I also hope that they will leave with an understanding of the challenges around things like trust and transparency and how we are helping to address these issues.
BRW: What discussions do you look forward to having with the attendees?
I enjoy being challenged on some of the practicalities of implementing AI solutions and then sharing my own experiences of tackling these challenges over the past 5 years.
BRW: What do you enjoy most about your role?
I love working with such a variety of clients across different industries and improving how they operate. In AI there are new ideas and possibilities every day.
BRW: How did you get into the industry?
I spent many years working with data and analytics. When I was offered the opportunity to work with IBM Watson I jumped at it. I could really see the potential that Cognitive Systems and AI had to take analysis and decision making to the next level.
BRW: Where is your favourite place in the world and why?
I love London, especially watching West Ham play at the London stadium, but probably my favourite place is Coronado near San Diego. I really love the beach, the weather and the vibe there.
Join Chris Williams on a webinar entitled ‘Scaling AI across the Enterprise’ by IBM on 2PM London/10AM New York