When people talk about artificial intelligence today, the same names usually come up.
OpenAI.
Google.
Microsoft.
Anthropic.
xAI.
But there’s another company that’s been involved in computing for more than a century.
IBM.
For a lot of people, IBM is remembered as the company that made some of the world’s first business computers.
It helped shape the modern computing industry long before smartphones, cloud computing, or AI became everyday topics.
So where does IBM fit today?
The answer surprised me.
Rather than competing to build the most popular chatbot, IBM has taken a different path.
Its focus is on helping organisations use AI inside their own businesses.
Think of industries like:
- healthcare
- banking
- manufacturing
- government
- insurance
These organisations often deal with sensitive information, strict regulations, and complex systems that can’t simply be handed over to a public chatbot.
That’s where IBM sees its opportunity.
Instead of asking, “How do we build the next ChatGPT?”
IBM is asking:
“How do we help organisations use AI safely, responsibly, and at scale?”
That has led the company to invest heavily in areas such as enterprise AI, hybrid cloud computing, AI governance, and AI agents that can assist with business workflows. (IBM Newsroom)
One example is watsonx, IBM’s AI platform designed for businesses that want to build or manage AI while maintaining control over their own data. IBM has also expanded tools for coordinating AI agents and helping organisations monitor how AI is used across their operations. (IBM)
At the same time, IBM isn’t without challenges.
The AI market has become intensely competitive, and newer companies have captured much of the public attention. IBM has also faced pressure from investors as businesses shift more spending toward AI infrastructure such as servers and data centres. (Financial Times)
Yet that doesn’t make IBM irrelevant.
If anything, it highlights that there are different ways to compete in the AI industry.
Some companies build consumer products.
Others provide the infrastructure.
IBM has largely positioned itself in the second group.
Personally, I find that interesting because it reminds us that not every successful technology company needs to dominate the headlines.
Some build the tools that millions of people use without ever knowing who made them.
IBM may not be the loudest voice in AI.
But it’s still trying to play an important role in how businesses adopt the technology.
Perhaps that’s the bigger lesson.
The AI race isn’t only about creating the smartest chatbot.
It’s also about building the systems that allow organisations to use AI securely, responsibly, and at scale.
And in that conversation, IBM is still very much part of the story.
💬 What do you think?
When you think of IBM today, do you still see a computer company from the past, or do you think it can remain relevant in the AI era?
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