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IBM to Expand Blockchain Research Division

The explosion of blockchain technology has created a high-paying job market that’s paying around $130,000 to $150,000 annually. In 2012, companies researching this innovation have been collectively handed over $2 billion. Since then, that number has been growing, both in the investment sector and the job market.

Now, International Business Machine (IBM) is adding to the latter’s number. In its most recent maneuver, the company is looking to hire nearly 2,000 people in France with many of them going to be allocated to the research, development, and implementation of blockchain technology. This came from a statement released by IBM chief executive Virginia Rometty on Wednesday.

While Rometty didn’t share the details on what these people are going to work on, she did mention that the company is currently cooperating with Crédit Mutuel, Generali, Orange Bank, Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (LVMH), and France's national railway system.

The nearly 2,000 would-be employees aren’t going to be hired all at once but will be trickle into the company’s fold in the next two years. The company will first take in 400 people to conduct blockchain research, as well as sectors focusing on AI and the Internet of Things.

IBM is also tackling multiple fronts on different divisions like humanitarian efforts, business registries, advertising, insurance, and more. But perhaps the most interesting venture of the company revolve around what's being called as the crypto anchor verifier.

This verifier will be developed as a smartphone application. And it will function exactly as its name suggests. But a custom lens still needs to be placed over the phone’s camera in order for it to accurately do what the app is intended.

Here's the short version of the app's capabilities. It can distinguish between a fake drug and the real, a cheap bottle of wine versus a high-end wine, and even tell the difference between fake and real diamonds. All of this scanning capacity harnessed with only the use of a smartphone.

Of course, all the data harvested is going to need a secure cache. And here’s where the blockchain tech comes in the picture since it can act as a storage, as well as an immutable record for the data stored. When the app finally gets released to the mainstream market, anyone will be able to identify if their purchase is exactly what they paid for.

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