AI Is Driving Mainframe Innovation: IBM Study

Mainframes have proven their importance through their ability to process vast amounts of data quickly, reliably and securely, and they will be key to unlocking the full potential of data-driven innovation.

According to a study by IBM Institute for Business Value, mainframe is playing a pivotal role in supporting artificial intelligence innovation, hybrid cloud strategies and acceleration of digital transformation for enterprises. With security and processing capabilities, the mainframe powers 70% of global transactions, on a value basis, the study showed.

The study found that organisations viewed the mainframe as an invaluable platform for deploying enterprise AI for a various functions, including driving innovation, bolstering cybersecurity, streamlining operations and modernising applications. Around 78% of the over 2,500 IT executives surveyed said their organisations were either piloting projects or operationalising initiatives that incorporated AI capabilities into mainframe applications and transactions. 

With regard to propelling innovation, 79% agreed that the mainframe was essential for enabling AI-driven innovation and value creation. By applying AI directly to transactional workloads on the mainframe, businesses could extract new insights and enhance workforce productivity.

In terms of security, 90% of executives indicated their organisations were piloting or implementing AI-powered cybersecurity projects, with 82% citing the importance of the mainframe for monitoring, analysing and responding to cyber threats. Additionally, 74% said they were integrating AI into mainframe operations to enhance system management and maintenance. Meanwhile, 61% said using generative AI for application modernisation efforts on mainframes was important to their organisation.

Mainframes also play a vital role in hybrid cloud strategies, enabling organisations to deploy application workloads in the most suitable computing environments. Critical workloads, such as financial transactions, healthcare records and government services, demand advanced security, reliability and scalability. By using the mainframe for these workloads, organisations can tap into its optimised architecture.

This approach has been proven to deliver significant returns on investment, with hybrid-by-design companies achieving more than 3x higher returns from their digital transformation efforts, according to research.

The study suggested that to establish a strong IT foundation, organisations should adopt a hybrid-by-design strategy, modernise mainframe applications and develop an integration and data-sharing strategy. Organisations should also leverage AI to empower DevOps teams, enhance mainframe operations and infuse AI into business transactions. This has the potential to streamline modernisation, improve operational efficiency and drive business success in a hybrid cloud and AI-driven world.

Organisations should develop a diverse and skilled mainframe workforce, and upskill mainframe professionals with AI-tooling and collaborative initiatives, the study said. This involves leveraging new mainframe capabilities, such as advanced encryption and authentication and advanced processor chips and specialised AI accelerators; addressing skills gaps through initiatives and mentorship programmes; and empowering mainframe professionals with AI-tooling, assistants and collaborative initiatives.