IBM has been at the forefront of advances in artificial intelligence (AI) for more than 70 years, evolving from its popular Watson system to watsonx, an advanced platform that powers generative AI solutions for the enterprise. This transition not only represents a name change, but also a significant advancement in AI capability, allowing organizations to customize and scale AI models, promoting ethics and regulatory compliance.
«AI has caught us all off guard, and it is touching multiple areas of our lives. IBM has a lot to do with this. We are a company that has been transforming and reinventing itself many times,” explains Juan Bernabé Moreno, Director of IBM Research Europe for Ireland and UK, at an event organized for the press.
Evolution and characteristics of watsonx
Watsonx focuses on enabling organizations to customize AI models, resulting in solutions that are more tailored to their specific needs. Key features include the ability to train, tune, and deploy AI models efficiently and effectively, essential in today’s fast-paced business environment.
In addition, watsonx addresses the need for small, specialized models that are easier to manage and safer. This approach allows companies to adapt AI models using their own data, solving problems linked to the reliability and confidentiality of information.
One of watsonx’s main focuses is to ensure that all AI solutions developed under this platform meet ethical and regulatory standards. This preventative approach is crucial to maintaining the trust of consumers and organizations using these technologies, as well as helping to mitigate the risks associated with implementing AI in critical decisions.
watsonx use cases
Watsonx is already proving its value in various sectors. In the logistics sector, IBM has implemented an innovative solution for a company in Spain, using generative AI to analyze tender documents in various formats. Preliminary results show an increase in efficiency and a reduction in human bias in bidding-related decisions.
In public administration, IBM has collaborated with Telefónica Tech to improve efficiency in document processing in the legal field. This solution allows professionals to handle requests in an automated manner, reducing work time by more than 80%, improving productivity and allowing employees to focus on higher-value tasks.
BM has been at the forefront of advances in artificial intelligence (AI) for over 70 years, evolving from its well-known Watson system to watsonx
Another example is the development of a virtual assistant for the Government of Extremadura, which facilitates access to information on investment aid in the region. This assistant, powered by watsonx, allows business owners to easily access relevant data through natural language queries, centralizing information that was previously dispersed and difficult to access.
Advances in quantum computing
IBM has also made significant advances in quantum computing with the launch of its most advanced quantum processor to date, the IBM Quantum Heron. This processor allows quantum circuits to be executed with a precision that reaches up to 5,000 two-qubit gate operations, facilitating complex research in fields such as chemistry and physics.
IBM’s Qiskit software, a high-performance quantum tool, is designed to make it easier to create and run algorithms in quantum environments. Recently, this software has been used by institutions such as RIKEN and the Cleveland Clinic to address highly relevant scientific problems, demonstrating progress towards an era of more useful quantum computing applied to real problems.
Integration of classical and quantum supercomputing
IBM also seeks to integrate classical and quantum computing systems to facilitate the solution of complex problems through algorithms that take advantage of both architectures. This integration is a step toward developing a hybrid supercomputer that can tackle tasks that were previously unachievable with traditional methods.
Among the innovations on the Qiskit platform are the Qiskit Transpiler Service, aimed at optimizing quantum circuits, and the Qiskit Code Assistant, which helps users generate quantum code using generative AI models. Additionally, IBM has made significant progress in mitigating errors in quantum circuits with the Tensor Network Error Mitigation (TEM) algorithm, enabling the execution of longer and more complex quantum circuits.
