I.B.M. Using Bits of Watson for Drug Research

When I.B.M.’s Watson computer beat two human “Jeopardy!” champions earlier this year, it was a triumphant demonstration of the company’s technology. It was great for Big Blue’s image, but it was not a moneymaker on its own.

Yet that process is under way. Watson was a bundle of advanced technologies, including speech recognition, machine learning, natural-language processing, data mining and ultrafast in-memory computer hardware. They have been under development at I.B.M. for years, and were pulled into Watson.

The ingredients that went into the Watson arsenal are steadily finding their way into I.B.M. products. For example, WellPoint, the big health insurer, is trying out a system that uses Watson-style software to reduce redundant medical tests...