Watson Advertising Weather Targeting allows IBM Watson to aggregate and analyse large and complex data sets to more efficiently target opportunities for advertising, while also adhering to more stringent privacy standards.

Weather insights will be generated through IBM’s The Weather Company with data from Nielsen’s retail measurement services to generate reports for marketers on possible advertising opportunities.

Nielsen Connect Partner Network, which covers manufacturers and retailers in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, will facilitate the tool.

Bob Lord, senior-vice-president, cognitive applications, blockchain and ecosystems at IBM, said: “As we prepare for a future without third-party identifiers, it’s critical that the industry put consumers at the centre and rely on advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) to help make sense of massive amounts of structured and unstructured data with a privacy-first mandate.”

Johan Sjöstrand, global president, retail intelligence at Nielsen, said: “IBM has long served as a leader in driving value from advanced technology, and in joining forces, we are further strengthening our Nielsen Connect Partner Network as an ecosystem of tech-forward partners to empower our CPG clients.

“The combined weight of IBM’s weather intelligence and actionable AI with our expansive read into consumer purchasing habits will provide marketers with a clearer roadmap in the face of ever-changing patterns.”