Image Courtesy of IBMHow does it feel to discuss songwriting with a computer? Ask Bob Dylan. The folk-rock legend stars in a humorous new IBM commercial in which he converses with the company’s celebrated “Watson” supercomputer.
In the ad, Dylan walks into a room holding a guitar and sits down on a long couch in front of Watson, who tells the singer/songwriter, “To improve my language skills, I’ve read all your lyrics…I can read 800 pages per second.” Bob responds, “That’s fast.”
The computer continues, “My analysis shows that your major themes are that time passes and love fades,” to which Dylan replies, “Well, that sounds about right.”
Watson then admits, “I have never known love,” prompting Bob to suggest that perhaps they “should write a song together.”
Lastly, the computer tells Dylan, “I can sing” and proceeds to scat, tunelessly, “Doo bebop, bebop a doo, doobie doobie doo…” As the commercial ends, Bob stands up, grabs his guitar and begins to walk out of the room.
The IBM ad, now playing on IBM’s official YouTube channel, is by no means the first commercial to feature Dylan. In recent years, he’s also appeared in TV ads for Victoria’s Secret, Apple, Cadillac and Chrysler.
Copyright © 2015, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.