IBM launches new mainframe system to handle heavy workload of AI models
International Business Machines Corp (IBM) unveiled its latest mainframe system, saying that a chunk of business data will remain on customer-owned servers and never be hosted on the cloud.
Advertisement
The new generation of IBM's mainframes, dubbed z17, will be powerful enough to handle the work of artificial intelligence (AI) models with stored data, IBM said in a statement on Tuesday.
The z17 is IBM's first new machine since 2022, which fits the company's general three-year update cycle for its mainframes. Recent acquisition HashiCorp will help implement new security features for the machines, IBM added.
Unlike the cloud, which enables enterprises to store and access data over the
internet from providers such as
Amazon.com 's
Amazon Web Services (AWS), mainframes are physical hardware owned by the customer.
For years, many industry watchers anticipated nearly all corporate data would make its way to being hosted by public cloud services providers like AWS,
Microsoft 's Azure and Alphabet's
Google
Advertisement
IBM infrastructure chief Ric Lewis said there is a growing sense among customers that some data belongs on their own servers.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
27-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Key Takeaways from the AWS Summit Hong Kong 2025: Technology that Shaped the Decade
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] A decade is no short feat, more so in the tech industry at a time when the next best artificial intelligence (AI) model is released every two weeks. Celebrating its 10 anniversary in the fragrant harbour, the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Summit Hong Kong did what it did best, bringing together 4,000+ executive leaders from all sectors, technology innovators and start-up accelerators for an electrifying showcase of cloud innovation on May 8, 2025. From success stories and live demos to hands-on workshops and training booths, over 80 interactive sessions were hosted throughout the day. Shining the light on big tech that has transformed the world over the past decade, while showcasing cutting-edge innovations that are bound to shape the rest of the 2020s, the activities were curated to help IT novices achieve certification and inspire decision makers to rethink their businesses. The flagship AWS Summit Hong Kong provided an extensive platform to explore topics such as sustainability, collaboration and security amidst an evolving landscape in the tech industry. From Innovation to Collaboration: Celebrating Another Milestone in Hong Kong While technology is deeply rooted in each and every one of AWS's solutions, what the premier cloud computing platform does exceeds fancy high-tech jargon. This is evident in the opening remarks delivered by Robert Wang, Managing Director of AWS Hong Kong & Taiwan, announcing yet another milestone reached within the ten-year period - the establishment of the AWS-Cyberport Joint Innovation Center (JIC) in Hong Kong. Inviting Ir Tony Wong, JP, the Commissioner for Digital Policy, and Simon Chan, Chairman of Hong Kong Cyberport to take the stage, the three-year partnership not only signifies industry-wide support for cross-sector cooperation, but more importantly, active government endorsement in technology development. Presenting a major step forward in the city's innovation journey, the JIC would focus on four strategic areas: accelerating startup development, driving AI commercialisation, advancing FinTech innovation, and cultivating IT talent. The JIC joins AWS's global network of over ten similar innovation programs worldwide, including those in Singapore, India, and Taiwan. With the aim to connect Hong Kong's vibrant start-up ecosystem with AWS's global community, the collaborative platform creates substantial pathways for local businesses to scale in overseas markets. With the delightful news opening the summit on a high note, guests were reminded of just how far AWS has come in the region, as it continues to construct the future of digital transformation across Asia.
South China Morning Post
06-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
The New Retail Playbook: AWS Brings AI and Data into Stores
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Advertisement It is now harder than ever to catch customers' attention, with one-size-fits-all products replaced by ultra-personalised customer experiences. Today's retail landscape goes beyond the brick and mortar, trickling into the digital realm to curate an all-encompassing customer journey. This shift is no doubt fueled by artificial intelligence (AI) and other transformative technologies, which have altered the way people shop and interact with brands and products. With AI in the retail industry projected to reach US$62.64 billion by 2034, going online for retailers no longer translates into publishing products on an e-shop, because customers simply expect brands to deliver more. According to Capgemini , up to 71% consumers now demand generative AI (GenAI) integrated into their shopping experience. However, despite the proliferation of said technology over the past decade, customer satisfaction with AI implementation has in fact gone down from 41% in 2023 to 37% in 2024. In this day and age, ignoring AI would be shortsighted, but it seems that most retailers still lack access to understandable and explainable AI tools , resulting in a detrimental gap between customer expectation and service delivery. In order to empower businesses to leverage innovative technologies and satisfy this change in consumer preferences, Amazon Web Services (AWS) hosted the Retail and Consumer Goods Executive Forum in March 2025, bringing together retail innovators and technology experts to share case studies across every segment in the market. Through inspiring keynotes, in-depth panel discussions and real-life demonstrations, both AI novices and veterans were challenged to realise the full potential of the cloud. From Legacy to Modernity: An Evolving Success Story Advertisement
South China Morning Post
24-04-2025
- South China Morning Post
Vistra 2.0 Embraces a Customer-Obsessed Culture
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Advertisement In this era of digitalisation, companies are no longer bound by geographical locations or time zones when it comes to acquiring customers, so it should come as no surprise that businesses are expanding across borders at an unprecedented rate. Despite the ease and convenience that come with connectivity, concern for regulatory compliance has also skyrocketed. As recorded by PwC's 27th CEO Survey , 64% of business leaders saw the complexity of compliance framework as the number one barrier to creating and capturing value. For Vistra, a global corporate service provider, this universal customer pain point served as a call to action. With regulations differing country to country, combined with the intricacies of an ever-changing business landscape, staying compliant while maintaining core business operations is challenging for most multinational corporations. In Vistra's own 2025 survey of 250+ APAC executive respondents from Hong Kong, China and Singapore, Vistra 2030, the two factors presenting the greatest challenges to company's growth prospects over the next 12 months are changes in the global economy and changing compliance. In partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), the company embarked upon a digital transformation journey to develop its proprietary global compliance platform, debuting the Global Expansion Platform (GEP) and Geni, the world's first global compliance AI advisor, in March 2025. Blending AI Productivity with Human Expertise Advertisement By creating a unified platform centralising multi-country corporate governance solutions, Vistra has taken another step to further its mission in supporting businesses from all around the world. With the goal to make operating anywhere feel borderless and frictionless, clients are now able to manage entity portfolios across 300+ jurisdictions in one place. Having embedded Geni, its 24/7 AI compliance advisor within GEP, the digital-first approach enables real-time assistance and advisory guidance with instant response.
