IBM Launches z17 Mainframe to Power the Next Generation of AI

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.