One challenge is improving the algorithms of natural language processing by adapting to the specialist languages area such as medicine and finance, where Watson is learning to work.

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Taking advantage of cheaper processing power, the rise of new computer languages and the increasing urgency of the problem, these companies' own complex software seeks flaws in programming grammar, reverse-engineers applications to see that they do what they're supposed to and emulates the malicious hacks they will face once they're put in use.

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