IBM and VMware Collaborate on On-Premises Generative AI

IBM and VMware have announced a joint initiative to provide IBM watsonx on on-premises environments using VMware Private AI and Red Hat OpenShift. This strategic move aims to facilitate the deployment of generative AI within enterprise data realms, thereby enabling organizations to benefit from AI innovations while adhering to data privacy and compliance standards.

Key Highlights:

• IBM and VMware are integrating their technologies to enable the use of IBM watsonx for on-premises generative AI tasks on VMware Private AI and Red Hat OpenShift.
• The collaboration is designed to address enterprise needs for computing capacity and AI models in proximity to where data is generated.
• Private AI aims to combine AI business benefits with organizational privacy and compliance.
• The partnership leverages IBM’s watsonx AI and data platform with VMware’s infrastructure to offer AI capabilities across cloud and on-premise environments.
• A validated reference architecture for hybrid cloud and on-premises setups is under development to aid in ML model training and fine-tuning.
• IBM Consulting offers expertise to help clients with VMware solutions and generative AI integration, as well as cloud transformation processes.
• Innovative AI Partnership: IBM and VMware combine forces to deploy generative AI capabilities on-premises for enterprises, using IBM watsonx on VMware Private AI.
• Enterprise Data Solutions: The collaboration focuses on bringing AI closer to where enterprise data originates, enabling effective data processing and utilization.
• Private AI Architectural Approach: Private AI aims to provide the benefits of AI technology while maintaining data privacy and organizational compliance.
• Flexible Deployment Options: Enterprises can access IBM watsonx across various environments, including public clouds, private clouds, data centers, and edge sites.
• Comprehensive Technology Stack: The partnership offers a complete stack of technologies for AI, from data management to governance capabilities, across different cloud setups.
• Multicloud Reference Architecture: IBM and VMware are developing an architecture that supports the use of AI in regulated, hybrid cloud, and on-premises environments.
• Expertise Through IBM Consulting: IBM Consulting brings specialized generative AI expertise and VMware solution knowledge to help clients accelerate business transformation.
• Cloud Transformation Acceleration: IBM Consulting plans to integrate IBM watsonx with VMware services to streamline cloud transformations.

This collaborative effort is underpinned by the IBM and VMware Joint Innovation Lab, which has been operational since 2018, focusing on hybrid cloud and AI projects. Looking ahead, IBM and VMware are committed to creating a validated reference architecture that will enable regulated institutions to train and fine-tune machine learning models, including Large Language Models, within their local environments, circumventing regulatory or logistical challenges associated with data transfer.

IBM Consulting is playing a crucial role in the partnership, providing more than 1,000 consultants with generative AI expertise to help clients implement productive IT and core business processes. The upcoming integration of IBM watsonx and VMware Private AI services into IBM Consulting’s proprietary IBM Consulting Cloud Accelerator is expected to enhance clients’ ability to modernize workloads and manage hybrid cloud operations effectively.

In summary, the partnership between IBM and VMware is poised to provide clients with the necessary tools and expertise to incorporate generative AI into their operations, ensuring flexibility, privacy, and compliance in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.