About
Rob Thomas is Senior Vice President Software and Chief Commercial Officer, IBM. He leads…
Articles by Rob
Activity
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It’s truly useful. https://lnkd.in/ewZ7_pHY
It’s truly useful. https://lnkd.in/ewZ7_pHY
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Two score years ago, Donna McBain made the only foolish decision of her IBM career -- she made a full-time offer to her MBA summer intern. Over the…
Two score years ago, Donna McBain made the only foolish decision of her IBM career -- she made a full-time offer to her MBA summer intern. Over the…
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The technology behind the US Open: watsonx, Granite models, Instana, Red Hat, and others…
The technology behind the US Open: watsonx, Granite models, Instana, Red Hat, and others…
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Experience
Education
Publications
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The AI Ladder
O’Reilly
AI may be the greatest opportunity of our time, with the potential to add nearly $16 trillion to the global economy over the next decade. But so far, adoption has been much slower than anticipated, or so headlines may lead you to believe. With this practical guide, business leaders will discover where they are in their AI journey and learn the steps necessary to successfully scale AI throughout their organization.
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The End of Tech Companies
Amazon
“If you aren’t genuinely pained by the risk involved in your strategic choices, it’s not much of a strategy.” — Reed Hastings
The world economy is driven by innovation and productivity. But, business models that were built for a previous era deliver neither innovation nor productivity. In short, business models reliant on traditional distribution models, large dollar transactions, and human-intensive operations will remain under pressure. Many ‘non-tech companies’ say, “thank goodness…“If you aren’t genuinely pained by the risk involved in your strategic choices, it’s not much of a strategy.” — Reed Hastings
The world economy is driven by innovation and productivity. But, business models that were built for a previous era deliver neither innovation nor productivity. In short, business models reliant on traditional distribution models, large dollar transactions, and human-intensive operations will remain under pressure. Many ‘non-tech companies’ say, “thank goodness that is not the business we are in” or “technology changes too fast, I’m glad we are in a more traditional space”. These are false hopes.
This fundamental shift is coming (or has already come) to every business and every industry, in every part of the world. It does not matter if you are a retailer, a manufacturer, a healthcare provider, an agricultural producer, or a pharma company. Your traditional distribution model, operational mechanics, and method of value creation will change in the next 5 years; you will either lead or be left behind. It’s been said that we sit on the cusp of the next Industrial Revolution. Data, IoT, and software are replacing industrialization as the driving force of productivity and change. The rise of the Data era, coupled with software and connected device sprawl, creates an opportunity for some companies to outperform others. Those who figure out how to apply this advantage will drive unprecedented wealth creation and comprise the new S&P 500. This is the end of ‘tech companies’.
The era of “tech companies” is over; there are only ‘companies’, steeped in technology, that will survive. Read the blog post that led to the book: http://tinyurl.com/endoftech -
Big Data Revolution: What farmers, doctors and insurance agents teach us about discovering big data patterns
Wiley
Big Data Revolution is a guide to improving performance, making better decisions, and transforming business through the effective use of Big Data. In this collaborative work by an IBM Vice President of Big Data Products and an Oxford Research Fellow, this book presents inside stories that demonstrate the power and potential of Big Data within the business realm. Readers are guided through tried-and-true methodologies for getting more out of data, and using it to the utmost advantage. This book…
Big Data Revolution is a guide to improving performance, making better decisions, and transforming business through the effective use of Big Data. In this collaborative work by an IBM Vice President of Big Data Products and an Oxford Research Fellow, this book presents inside stories that demonstrate the power and potential of Big Data within the business realm. Readers are guided through tried-and-true methodologies for getting more out of data, and using it to the utmost advantage. This book describes the major trends emerging in the field, the pitfalls and triumphs being experienced, and the many considerations surrounding Big Data, all while guiding readers toward better decision making from the perspective of a data scientist.
Companies are generating data faster than ever before, and managing that data has become a major challenge. With the right strategy, Big Data can be a powerful tool for creating effective business solutions – but deep understanding is key when applying it to individual business needs. Big Data Revolution provides the insight executives need to incorporate Big Data into a better business strategy, improving outcomes with innovation and efficient use of technology.Other authorsSee publication
Languages
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English
Native or bilingual proficiency
More activity by Rob
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AI and Productivity…a quick listen with Malcolm Gladwell, who is the best interviewer I’ve met.
AI and Productivity…a quick listen with Malcolm Gladwell, who is the best interviewer I’ve met.
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People ask me why I started writing The Mentor. My reason is not very exciting: -I saw that Substack raised a lot of money. -I was curious to know…
People ask me why I started writing The Mentor. My reason is not very exciting: -I saw that Substack raised a lot of money. -I was curious to know…
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I am thrilled and exited to receive the email this morning from our IBM Leaders Joanne Wright Mohamad Ali Rob Thomas that my team (CHCP-SRE-US) has…
I am thrilled and exited to receive the email this morning from our IBM Leaders Joanne Wright Mohamad Ali Rob Thomas that my team (CHCP-SRE-US) has…
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Great to meet with you Takayuki Morita. I’m impressed by the transformation and ambition of NEC Corporation under your leadership.
Great to meet with you Takayuki Morita. I’m impressed by the transformation and ambition of NEC Corporation under your leadership.
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A simple equation: E + R = O. Event + your Response = the Outcome. Too many people view difficulties or setbacks as the outcome, when in fact, the…
A simple equation: E + R = O. Event + your Response = the Outcome. Too many people view difficulties or setbacks as the outcome, when in fact, the…
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In 2023, over 158,000 IBMers came together in teams of 2 – 10 for our first IBMer watsonx Challenge. We had just debuted our watsonx data and AI…
In 2023, over 158,000 IBMers came together in teams of 2 – 10 for our first IBMer watsonx Challenge. We had just debuted our watsonx data and AI…
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I believe I won this ping pong match, which basically makes me a Grand Slam champion.
I believe I won this ping pong match, which basically makes me a Grand Slam champion.
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Often, the most difficult thing to do is to find a new level in your own performance. And, there is always another level. Why does this happen? *…
Often, the most difficult thing to do is to find a new level in your own performance. And, there is always another level. Why does this happen? *…
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IBM Granite models now available in SAP. Smaller models = lower inference cost.
IBM Granite models now available in SAP. Smaller models = lower inference cost.
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This week at IBM Think 2024, I joined my friend Rob Thomas on stage to chat about #AI. Verizon recognizes the critical role of AI in enhancing…
This week at IBM Think 2024, I joined my friend Rob Thomas on stage to chat about #AI. Verizon recognizes the critical role of AI in enhancing…
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The replay of my keynote at IBM's #Think2024 is now available: https://lnkd.in/eCZuN4_t I shared the stage with IBM Automation Product Development…
The replay of my keynote at IBM's #Think2024 is now available: https://lnkd.in/eCZuN4_t I shared the stage with IBM Automation Product Development…
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Last evening, #ibm Kochi buzzed with excitement at the Watch Party for the #THINK event, celebrating the announcement of the IBM Concert by Rob…
Last evening, #ibm Kochi buzzed with excitement at the Watch Party for the #THINK event, celebrating the announcement of the IBM Concert by Rob…
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Join me live from #Think2024 to discuss how generative AI is ushering in a new era of Automation. Tap below to set a reminder to tune-in on May 21st:…
Join me live from #Think2024 to discuss how generative AI is ushering in a new era of Automation. Tap below to set a reminder to tune-in on May 21st:…
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