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IBM Launches z17 Mainframe to Power the Next Generation of AI

Prime Highlights:

  • IBM introduces the z17 mainframe, which is capable of processing 450 billion AI inferences per day—a 50% boost from the prior model.
  • The system supports over 250 AI models and can be easily deployed with existing frameworks.

Key Fact:

  • The z17 includes the Telum II processor and comes with 48 IBM Spyre AI accelerator chips, with the ability to scale to 96 in a year.
  • It provides a 7.5 times AI acceleration boost at 5.5 times less energy than on other platforms.

Key Background:

IBM formally declared the z17, its new mainframe tailor-made specifically for the AI era. A quantum leap in performance over last year’s 2022 model, the z16, the new system can perform 450 billion AI inferences a day. With the 50 percent increase in performance, the z17 makes IBM a high-performance AI computing platform provider for mission-critical businesses like banking, insurance, and aviation.

At the heart of the z17 is IBM’s Telum II processor, which is complemented by 48 custom-built Spyre AI accelerator chips. IBM will double chip capacity to 96 in the near term, allowing even greater AI throughput. The mainframe supports over 250 pre-installed AI models and supports multiple software stacks and open-source tooling. Such flexibility offers more convenience in companies deploying and expanding AI solutions natively in their current ecosystems.

IBM took five years to develop the z17, keeping pace with the sweeping increase in business AI deployment. The design of the mainframe accommodates real-time AI workloads and facilitates high-speed data processing securely, which is necessary for firms with huge transaction volumes.

Energy efficiency is also an attribute that characterizes the z17. It provides over seven times the acceleration of AI and consumes significantly less power compared to conventional platforms. Such equilibrium of performance and longevity is a reflection of IBM’s commitment to ethical AI infrastructure.

The arrival of z17 also confirms the role of mainframes in an ever-changing tech landscape. Despite the rise of cloud and edge computing, mainframes remain indispensable in areas where reliability, scalability, and data security are paramount. Through the z17, IBM remains committed to revolutionizing the mainframe while basing it squarely on the future of AI.