IBM is releasing the newest 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 newest 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 appear to be previous hat, however they’re utilized by 71% of Fortune 500 firms in the present day, in line with one supply. In 2024, the mainframe market was price an estimated $5.3 billion, per consulting agency Market Research 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 unique 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, informed TechCrunch that this mainframe improve has been within the works for 5 years — properly 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 clients because it constructed the z17, Tarquinio mentioned. She thinks it’s fascinating to see that, now, 5 years later, the suggestions they obtained 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 modifications within the trade concerning AI,” Tarquinio informed TechCrunch. “It’s been actually thrilling. I feel the largest level has been [that] we don’t know what we don’t find out about what’s coming, proper? So the chances are actually limitless when it comes to what AI might help us do.”
The z17 is about as much as adapt and accommodate the place the AI market heads, Tarquinio mentioned. The mainframe will assist 48 IBM Spyre AI accelerator chips upon launch, with the plan to convey that quantity as much as 96 inside 12 months.
“We are purposely constructing in headroom,” Tarquinio mentioned. “We’re purposely constructing in AI agility. So as new fashions are launched, [we’re] ensuring that we’ve constructed within the headroom for larger, 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 method that may change, proper? The new fashions will come and go.”
Tarquinio mentioned that one of many highlights of this newest {hardware} — though she joked it was like being requested to select her favourite youngster — is that the z17 is extra energy-efficient than its predecessor and supposedly opponents, 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 vitality than you would wish to do, like, multi-model on one other kind of accelerator or platform within the trade,” Tarquinio mentioned.
The z17 mainframes will turn into usually out there on June 8.
