Algorithms that operate in 3d space are very complex, as are algorithms that require learning. I'm not as impressed by Watson as a layman because I have a degree in Computer Science and I work as a software developer. Computers are not as complex as one would imagine. Watson requires an entire data center to function (billions and billions of dollars and thousands of kilograms of materials)
First NASA computer was more expensive than this one and had computing power of a calculator. Do you see the progress during last 50 years? In another 50 years Watson and more will fit inside your phone. Heck, it can already fit inside your phone and million other users by cellular and network connection. The way we use a powerful Google search engine, located who knows where, but seems existing in our phones.
and still has less memory and computational power than a rat's brain which is the size of a marble,
and yet it can't even count to ten unlike my calculator. Most of mammals brain is oriented and skilful in looking for food, sniffing, tasting, recognizing danger, mating, partner selection and raising kids. Would you just scale it up and expect miracles in creating new "tasks" for people? First you need to invent this monumental task, a new higher goal for humankind. Then you need to design brain structure, the hardware, being able to accomplish this task only and hundreds times better than humans (so the project is worth the billions spent), without being distracted by mating and food. Once you know the architecture of the brain you might start designing DNA which will grow this super brain.
The problem is that, this task is above ability of human knowledge and designing skills, so first you need to create supercomputer being able to understand and design such brain and run millions of simulation from DNA construction, through growth, to final product. Otherwise you need thousands of years of experiments on live brains using natural or breeder selection to get to your goal. Having such supercomputer able to create a new entity, this superbrain, why would we need this super brain at all? In other words, to build superbrain we need to build supercomputer first of similar computational power.
Oh, and don't forget to get rid of feelings, whichever way they exist in our brains. We don't want this superbrain to get angry at us. We would be doomed. It might actually get very angry, because it will be serving as one purpose slave for humankind.
I would rather stick to supercomputer without feelings, computer that doesn't care if it exists or if I exist, or if I throw it to the garbage.
PS. Did you have a chance to find out what the super task for humankind will be? It would be awesome, because the last time I checked the main human tasks were the same as chimps, ants and bacteria (all life forms on Earth); Eat, Survive, Multiply. Do you think we can escape it one day, and feel really special? Spirituality and religion was suppose to do the trick for us, and generally speaking it does for most.