IBM is releasing the most recent model of its mainframe {hardware} that features new updates meant to speed up AI adoption.
The {hardware} and consulting firm on Monday introduced IBM z17, the most recent model of its mainframe laptop {hardware}. This totally encrypted mainframe is powered by an IBM Telum II processor and is designed for greater than 250 AI use instances, the corporate says, together with AI brokers and generative AI.
Mainframes would possibly seem to be outdated hat, however they’re utilized by 71% of Fortune 500 corporations right this moment, based on one supply. In 2024, the mainframe market was price an estimated $5.3 billion, per consulting agency Market Analysis Future.
The z17 can course of 450 billion inference operations in a day, a 50% improve over its predecessor, the IBM z16, which was launched in 2022 and ran on the corporate’s authentic Tellum processor. The system is designed to have the ability to totally combine with different {hardware}, software program, and open-source instruments.
Tina Tarquinio, VP of product administration and design for IBM Z, instructed TechCrunch that this mainframe improve has been within the works for 5 years — effectively earlier than the present AI frenzy that began with the discharge of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in November 2022.
IBM spent greater than 2,000 analysis hours getting suggestions from over 100 prospects because it constructed the z17, Tarquinio stated. She thinks it’s attention-grabbing to see that, now, 5 years later, the suggestions they received aligned with the place the market ended up heading.
“It has been wild realizing that we’re introducing an AI accelerator, after which seeing, particularly within the later half of 2022, all the adjustments within the business concerning AI,” Tarquinio instructed TechCrunch. “It’s been actually thrilling. I believe the most important level has been [that] we don’t know what we don’t learn about what’s coming, proper? So the chances are actually limitless by way of what AI might help us do.”
The z17 is about as much as adapt and accommodate the place the AI market heads, Tarquinio stated. The mainframe will assist 48 IBM Spyre AI accelerator chips upon launch, with the plan to carry that quantity as much as 96 inside 12 months.
“We’re purposely constructing in headroom,” Tarquinio stated. “We’re purposely constructing in AI agility. In order new fashions are launched, [we’re] ensuring that we’ve constructed within the headroom for greater, bigger fashions — fashions that perhaps want extra native reminiscence to speak to one another. We’ve inbuilt that as a result of we all know it’s actually the strategy that can change, proper? The brand new fashions will come and go.”
Tarquinio stated that one of many highlights of this newest {hardware} — though she joked it was like being requested to choose her favourite baby — is that the z17 is extra energy-efficient than its predecessor and supposedly rivals, too.
“On-chip, we’re rising the AI acceleration by seven and a half instances, however that’s 5 and a half instances much less power than you would wish to do, like, multi-model on one other sort of accelerator or platform within the business,” Tarquinio stated.
The z17 mainframes will grow to be usually out there on June 8.
