Dive Brief:

• IBM's Watson Internet of Things (IoT) unit and Harman Professional Solutions group are working together on an artificial intelligence-based tool that responds to voice commands and questions based on the "context of the room its sensor is located in," Ars Technica reports. 

• Called Voice-Enabled Cognitive Rooms, the technology combines IBM interfaces and cognitive computing with Harman’s audio tools.

• The technology is already being demonstrated as a cognitive conference room assistant and in some hospital rooms. Other potential uses could include hotel rooms, cruise ship cabins or corporate spaces, according to the report.

Dive Insight:

While the technology is impressive, corporate demand for cognitive rooms is not certain. If the technology proves to effectively save businesses time and money and make time-consuming tasks easier to accomplish, many companies could look to invest. 

It also depends on what underlying infrastructure is already in place. Some advanced technology capabilities require a strong network backbone, as well as changes to a company's building. 

But some organizations are already working to build advanced technology into the physical workplace. For example, Box has enabled employees to use Amazon's Alexa to find, book and interact with conference room facilities using a voice-activated personal assistant. 

For some companies, adopting digital technology can be a challenge. While a company like Box can integrate conference room technology across its organization, a larger enterprise may have a harder time with implementation and scale.