IBM Corp. is reinventing its iconic mainframe technology for the artificial intelligence age with the introduction of the new IBM z17, powered by an advanced Telum II processor capable of running generative AI and AI agent workloads. The announcement marks a significant evolution for the decades-old computing platform that still forms the backbone of global financial and enterprise systems.
Scheduled for release in June, the z17 mainframe delivers unprecedented processing capabilities, including the ability to analyze millions of transactions in real time – a critical feature for financial institutions developing next-generation fraud detection and risk analysis tools. IBM claims the new model improves AI inference performance by 50% compared to its z16 predecessor.
The upgraded system introduces several groundbreaking features, including native support for IBM’s Granite family of large language models and enhanced data protection mechanisms developed in consultation with more than 100 enterprise customers. The platform now supports over 250 specialized AI applications across industries, from medical imaging analysis to retail security and intelligent chatbot management.
Despite the widespread adoption of cloud computing, mainframes maintain their position as indispensable infrastructure for mission-critical operations. IBM reports that two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies continue to rely on mainframe technology, including 45 of the world’s 50 largest banks, eight of the top 10 insurance providers, and seven of the top global retailers. The systems’ unparalleled reliability and uptime make them particularly valuable for applications where even seconds of downtime can have catastrophic consequences.
While IBM dominates the mainframe market, Japanese technology firm Fujitsu Ltd. maintains a small but significant presence in the sector. The introduction of AI capabilities represents IBM’s latest effort to future-proof its flagship enterprise systems as businesses increasingly demand platforms that can handle both traditional transaction processing and cutting-edge AI workloads.
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