The document discusses cognitive computing and the future of artificial intelligence. It describes how by 2018, half of all consumers will regularly interact with services based on cognitive technologies. It then provides an overview of IBM's research into cognitive computing, including the development of early AI systems, deep learning, natural language processing, machine vision, and brain-inspired systems like SyNAPSE. The document outlines IBM's vision of a future where cognitive systems can assist humans by interpreting medical images, recognizing speech, providing recommendations, and engaging in conversational interactions.