IBM

Recent news

• Jul 17, 2026

  New York State just hit pause on the AI data center boom

  New York State has announced a one-year moratorium on new hyperscale data centers while it develops a regulatory framework for permitting, community impacts, and grid protection.

  • Governor Kathy Hochul signed an Executive Order described as the “nation’s first moratorium” on new hyperscale data centers, with the state halting environmental permits for up to one year.
  • New York will create a Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) and a Community Investment Framework (CIF) within 60 days; the article also says the state is considering a fund tied to aging grid infrastructure and clean energy procurement.
  • The proposed community contribution is $1 million per megawatt (MW) of anticipated utility demand per project, implying $50 million for 50 MW and $400 million for 400 MW.
  • The piece is a news analysis/commentary article about policy and industry impacts, not a first-hand company announcement; it references prior and current policy moves in New York and quotes analysts on likely market effects.
• Jul 15, 2026

  IBM targets AI edge with Power server, software upgrades

  IBM has announced a new Power11 edge server, AI operations software, and related IBM i development updates.

  • IBM Power S1112 is a one-socket Power11 server for distributed and edge locations, with MMA on-chip acceleration and configurations including a 10-core 3.05–4.0 GHz rack model and a 4-core 3.60–4.0 GHz rack/tower model.
  • IBM also announced Power Autonomous Operations, a new AI agent for monitoring and resolving issues on Power systems, plus a preview of the Agentic Engine for IBM i and support for Bob AI development tools; Power S1112 is expected to be generally available on July 24, 2026, Power Autonomous Operations on September 23, 2026, and IBM Bob Premium Package for i was generally available on June 24, 2026.
• Jul 15, 2026

  Quantum Meets the Data Center: Hybrid Systems Take Off

  The article explains a shift in quantum computing toward hybrid quantum-classical infrastructure and cites policy support, vendor roadmaps, and conference remarks rather than a single standalone company announcement.

  • The U.S. Department of Commerce announced more than $2 billion in incentives in May 2026 to accelerate quantum commercialization, including quantum manufacturing and utility-scale, fault-tolerant systems; the White House followed with a June 2026 Executive Order on the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation.
  • The piece also cites vendor and industry developments: IBM outlined quantum-centric supercomputing in March 2026; Nvidia launched NVQLink at GTC 2026; HPE said in June 2026 it is working with multiple partners on hybrid quantum configurations; and AMD said it is working with OQC and JPMorgan Chase on quantum, AI, and HPC workloads.
• Jul 14, 2026

  IBM Warns AI Infrastructure Shift Impacts Software Deals, Shares Plunge

  IBM has warned that second-quarter revenue and earnings will miss Wall Street expectations, citing a late-quarter shift in customer capex toward servers, storage, and memory. - Revenue is expected to be $17.2 billion for Q2, up 1% year over year, with adjusted EPS of $2.93; IBM shares reportedly fell about 23% after the warning.

  • Software revenue rose 5%, consulting revenue was flat, and infrastructure revenue fell 7%; CEO Arvind Krishna said customers moved spend to secure supply-constrained infrastructure ahead of expected price increases, and distributed infrastructure revenue grew 37% with a $500 million backlog.
  • The article is a news report/commentary based on IBM’s letter to investors, with additional analyst quotes from IDC, Persistence Analytics Group, and ZK Research interpreting the results as an infrastructure-first AI spending cycle rather than a pullback in AI demand.
• Jul 14, 2026

  IBM releases preliminary results for Q2 2026, sees shares drop by more than 20 percent

  IBM has announced selected preliminary Q2 2026 financial results in a letter from CEO Arvind Krishna to investors.

  • The company said quarterly revenue was $17.2 billion in Q2 2026, with 1% YoY growth; infrastructure revenue was down 7%, GAAP gross profit margin was 57.7% and operating margin was 59.4%.
  • Krishna said the quarter was hurt by a shortfall in Z performance and the associated software stack, plus clients shifting capex toward servers, storage, and memory; IBM reported free cash flow of $4.8bn and said its full earnings call will be held on July 22, 2026.
• Jul 13, 2026

  Data Center Hardware Highlights: July 2026

  Data Center Knowledge published a roundup of its most-read hardware coverage from June 2026, summarizing industry developments in AI infrastructure rather than announcing a single new project.

  • The article highlights HPE, Nvidia, IBM, AWS, QumulusAI, and Qualcomm as the main companies shaping a more systems-focused AI stack, with emphasis on networking, memory supply, CPU strategy, orchestration software, and chip design.
  • It references specific developments including Nvidia overtaking rivals in data center Ethernet switching per IDC, AWS launching Graviton5-powered EC2 instances, QumulusAI’s $124 million deal, and Qualcomm’s Meta CPU deal; the piece is a recap/commentary article and not a primary company announcement.
• Jul 9, 2026

  AI tie-in accelerates quantum usefulness, early adopters say

  The article reports that quantum computing is moving toward practical use, with companies and researchers describing hybrid AI-quantum workflows and commercialization timelines.

  • Cleveland Clinic says quantum is already being used with AI and high-performance computing to simulate protein complexes up to 12,635 atoms; Lara Jehi says clinically relevant problems may be possible in one or two years.
  • Mitsubishi Chemical has been experimenting with quantum since 2018 and aims for production use by end-2026 or early 2027; SoftBank Corp. says it has 21 pilot projects underway and is connecting customers to IBM and Quantinuum machines at Riken through its AI data center.
  • The article also cites industry-wide momentum, including 556 pure-play quantum companies, $1.9 billion in 2025 revenue, $12.7 billion in new government funding commitments, and $4.9 billion in new private venture capital investment.
• Jul 7, 2026

  IBM expands mainframe portfolio with new z17 and LinuxONE Systems offerings

  IBM has announced new z17 and LinuxONE systems offerings aimed at helping organizations address cost and space constraints in data center environments.

  • The expanded portfolio adds single-frame and rack-mount options for IBM Z and LinuxONE, with IBM saying this is the first time it has offered a full portfolio in these form factors and price points.
  • The systems support up to 82 cores and 18TB of memory across two processor drawers, and are designed to reclaim space and improve energy efficiency; general availability is set for August 12, 2026.
  • New LinuxONE additions include Rockhopper 5 and LinuxONE 5 Express; Rockhopper 5 offers on-chip AI acceleration, confidential computing, and post-quantum cryptography, while LinuxONE 5 Express is a 19-inch rack-mountable system for standard data center racks.
  • IBM Z and LinuxONE GM Tom McPherson said the offerings are intended to help organizations run workloads where they make the most sense and broaden access to these technologies.
  • The article also notes IBM previously launched its z17 mainframe generation in April 2015, saying it was engineered for AI capabilities and can process 50 percent more AI inference operations per day than the z16.
• Jun 26, 2026

  Large data center campus planned in Pindamonhangaba, Brazil

  RiverHook Village has announced the development of a hyperscale data centre campus in Pindamonhangaba, São Paulo, with staged capacity and multi-billion‑reais investment commitments.

  • Main announcement: RiverHook Village 18 will be built on more than 500,000 m² (5.38m sq ft) along Via Estrutural, with an initial installed capacity of 150MW (expandable to up to 300MW) and investment starting at 5 billion reais (could reach 10 billion reais in later phases). The announcement was formalised on 28 April 2026 during the launch of the Investe Pinda platform.
  • Background & implementation details: Partners include consulting firms Indo-Bras United and LetsGoFusion (owned by Fabio Gordon); negotiations with the city began in August 2025, the company was incorporated in November 2025, and the project timeline states construction start October 2026 and operational June 2028. The city’s Department of Economic Development (headed by Marcelo Martuscelli) cited energy availability and approved an additional 150MW dedicated to the campus; the design calls for waterless cooling to minimise regional water use.

  Event details (announcement event):

  • Date: 28 April 2026
  • Time: not specified in article
  • Location: Intercity Hotel, Pindamonhangaba
  • Agenda / subject: launch of the Investe Pinda platform and formal announcement of RiverHook Village 18
• Jun 9, 2026

  7x24 Spring Conference: Future-Proofing the AI Data Center Amid New Bottlenecks, New Risks, New Rules of Execution

  The 7x24 Exchange Spring Conference highlighted that the data center industry must “future-proof” people, processes, and governance while introducing the development of a new quality framework, DCE 9000, through the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA).

  • Main announcement/action: The conference sessions, led by speakers including Sol Rashidi, Google’s Govind Ramu and Gino Tozzi, and panelists from Victaulic, T5 Data Centers, DLB Associates, and Oracle, emphasized future-proofing operational and human systems for AI-scale data centers and noted that DCE 9000 is being developed through TIA as a common quality management framework for data center infrastructure equipment, suppliers, contractors, and operators.
  • Background and details: Presentations flagged concrete operational risks: roughly 70% of organizational change initiatives fail (research cited by Google), urgent needs around liquid cooling commissioning, contamination control, supplier governance, documentation discipline, and workforce development, and recommended earlier involvement of chemical treatment/water-quality specialists and tighter integration across engineering, contractors, commissioning providers, equipment manufacturers, and IT teams.
• May 5, 2026

  IBM Targets Enterprise AI Control Layer with ‘Operating Model’ Push

  IBM announced an ‘AI operating model’ built around data, agents, automation, and hybrid infrastructure to move enterprises from isolated AI projects to coordinated systems embedded in core business processes.

  • Main announcement: IBM introduced an AI operating model and positioned Watsonx Orchestrate as a control plane and Concert as the operational remediation layer; the company announced an integration of Watsonx.data with Confluent’s streaming technologies to enable real-time data pipelines and live context for agent-driven systems.
  • Background and details:Arvind Krishna framed the shift citing over 70% of enterprise data remaining on-premises; analysts (Tekonyx, HyperFrame Research, Moor Insights & Strategy) warned enterprises are fragmented on data and lacking production governance, and IBM emphasized hybrid/on-premises deployment rather than building foundation models or competing on hyperscale infrastructure.
• Apr 25, 2026

  How do you feel about AI’s environmental impact?

  Gannon Knight’s Roundtable asked Gannon students and staff their thoughts on AI’s environmental impact.

  • Main announcement/action: Gannon Knight surveyed Gannon University participants — including Sam Mason, Ph.D. (Director of Project NePTWNE; oversees the Center for Lake Erie Education and Research, CLEER), Zara Toomaney (senior, Environmental Engineering), and Sophia Cuzzola (junior; IBM SkillsBuild student ambassador) — on April 25, 2026. The article cites external research: University of California, Riverside (reported by The Washington Post) finding that every 100-word AI search uses roughly 519 milliliters of water, and a LinkedIn (2025) stat that 66% of leaders would not hire someone without AI literacy.

  • Details/background: Interviewees noted concrete environmental impacts — AI/data centers require large amounts of energy and water (cooling towers) which can impact nearby cities’ water pressure and quality and increase carbon emissions. They recommended using AI as a service, not a replacement, and urged cross-disciplinary action involving environmental experts, policymakers, researchers, and developers to pursue more sustainable AI practices.

• Apr 22, 2026

  Render Networks Announces $14.3 Million Funding Raise From Black Kite Partners

  Render Networks announced $14.3 million in private equity growth funding and the acquisition of mPower Innovations.

  • Acquisition and funding: Render Networks will acquire mPower Innovations and announced $14.3 million in private equity growth funding from BlackKite Partners; as part of the acquisition Render will transition mPower’s digital modeling platform to Esri’s ArcGIS. Greg Calcari (mPower founder) and Jason Brown (mPower CEO) will remain in senior leadership roles at Render. The company is based in Australia with U.S. headquarters in Denver. No specific implementation timeline for the transition or integration was provided in the announcement.
  • Context and background: Render provides an AI-driven SaaS platform for construction data and cites use in BEAD deployment and major infrastructure projects; past customers named include Lumen, Connect2First, and Craighead Electric Cooperative Corporation. BlackKite Partners is an Australian private equity firm that launched in March 2026. The announcement includes executive statements from Stephen Rose (Render CEO) and Adrian Kerley (BlackKite Partners).
• Apr 22, 2026

  Almost 40% of data center projects will be late this year, 2027 looks no better

  The Financial Times has published a study finding widespread delays across planned data center openings.

  • Main finding: The FT analysis, using SynMax satellite imagery and permit data compiled by IIR Energy, found that almost half of data centers scheduled to open this year are likely to be at least three months late and more than 60% of projects scheduled for next year have yet to begin construction. The analysis cites project-level progress on land clearance and foundations and names major projects tied to Microsoft, Oracle and OpenAI.
  • Background and causes: The report attributes delays to “chronic shortages of labor, power and equipment”, specialist trades shortages (electricians, pipe fitters), parts and component shortages (GPUs, memory, hard drives), permitting delays, and local/state pushback (for example Maine has paused large data center builds). OpenAI and Oracle issued statements saying their OpenAI-linked sites in Abilene, Shackelford County and Milam County, Texas are progressing on schedule, and OpenAI cited partnerships with Oracle and SB Energy for those projects.