An AI-powered oncology platform developed by IBM for MD Anderson hospital was plagued by delays, cost overruns, technical issues and hype.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and IBM Watson Health announced a partnership in 2012 to develop the Oncology Expert Advisor (OEA), a system supposed to analyse large amounts of cancer data and provide personalised treatment recommendations to doctors.

A 2017 audit by the University of Texas System found that the project had spent USD 62 million but had failed to deliver a functional product. The audit also raised concerns about the project's governance, management, and the lack of clear goals and objectives.

The controversy surrounding the project led to a number of high-profile departures, including the resignation of the head of MD Anderson's IT department and the departure of several top executives from IBM Watson Health.

The project was ultimately shut down in 2018, with MD Anderson writing off the entire investment.

The failure of the project was seen as a major setback for IBM Watson Health, which had been touted as a leader in the field of AI-powered healthcare.