IBM Power9 bulks up for AI workloads

The latest proprietary Power servers from IBM, armed by the long-awaited IBM Power9 processors, look for relevance among next-generation enterprise workloads, but the company will need some help from its friends to take on its biggest market challenger. IBM emphasizes increased speed and bandwidth with its AC922 Power Systems to better take on high-performance computing tasks, such as building models for AI and machine learning training. The company said it plans to pursue mainstream commercial applications, such as building supply chains and medical diagnostics, but those broader-based opportunities may take longer to materialize. "Most big enterprises are doing research and development on machine learning, with some even deploying such projects in niche areas," said Patrick Moorhead, president and principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy. "But it will be 12 to 18 months before enterprises can even start driving serious volume in that space."