Data streaming engines are now drilling down to a single event at a time so enterprises can see consumer behavior in real time. Add machine learning analytics, and it gets better, said Harley Davis (pictured), vice president of operational decision management and France Lab at IBM Corp.

“When you take into account predictive analytics models, machine learning, what you get is kind of data from the future,” Davis said.

Davis spoke to John Furrier (@furrier) and Dave Vellante (@dvellante), co-hosts of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s mobile live streaming studio, during IBM InterConnect 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (*Disclosure below.) 

Real-time data sources are multiplying. These include not only transaction data, but also social data that might literally spell out a consumer’s motives, Davis explained. For example, a car company might see that a prospect deposits more cash at his bank, suggesting he’s received a raise. He may also have tweeted that he loves the new model from said automaker.

“If we can put those things together in real time, why not send him a proactive offer for a loan on a new car or put him in touch with a dealer?” Davis asked.

Why not indeed? Some companies are marketing this way now, but others struggle to fit all the pieces together, Davis stated. Interestingly, the technology is all there: “We have machine learning, predictive analytics technology, business rules technology, event-driven architecture technology,” he said.

Fitting them together in an end-to-end solution is not easy, but surprisingly, fitting people together may be harder, said Davis.

“You have to have data scientists work with IT architects work with operational people work with business policy people,” he said. Nonetheless, companies all want it to work out because they all see the competitive advantage, he added.

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of IBM InterConnect 2017. (*Disclosure: SiliconANGLE Media’s theCUBE is a media partner at InterConnect. Neither IBM nor other conference sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE