IBM

Overview

IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) is a multinational technology and consulting company headquartered in Armonk, New York. Founded in 1911 (as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company, renamed IBM in 1924), the company has evolved from electromechanical tabulating equipment to a global provider of enterprise software, hybrid cloud infrastructure, AI services, consulting, and research—including quantum computing.

Why it matters

• For enterprise IT leaders: IBM is a major vendor of hybrid cloud and mainframe solutions that underpin critical workloads in finance, government, telecom and large enterprises.
• For software architects and data teams: IBM provides AI platforms, data management, and automation products (including capabilities built around Watson and Red Hat OpenShift) that are targeted at regulated, mission‑critical environments.
• For researchers and developers: IBM Research is one of the world’s largest industrial research organizations and a major contributor to quantum computing, open standards, and long‑term R&D.
• For investors and policymakers: IBM’s transformation from hardware to software, services and AI reflects enterprise demand for secure, compliant AI and hybrid cloud solutions.

Key facts

• Founded: 1911 (as CTR), renamed IBM in 1924
• Headquarters: Armonk, New York, U.S.
• CEO: Arvind Krishna
• Website: https://www.ibm.com
• Global footprint: operations in 170+ countries; long history of enterprise customers and partnerships (including Red Hat after 2019 acquisition)

Products & services

• Hybrid cloud: Red Hat OpenShift, middleware, multi‑cloud management and integration services
• AI & data: IBM Watson (enterprise AI offerings), watsonx (models, data store, tooling), data pipelines and analytics
• Consulting & professional services: IBM Consulting (strategy, implementation, systems integration)
• Infrastructure: IBM Z mainframes, LinuxONE, Power Systems, edge computing, storage
• Software: automation, security, observability, integration, transaction processing
• Quantum computing: IBM Quantum hardware, Qiskit, developer access and research programs
• Services & support: managed services, outsourcing, cloud migration, enterprise support contracts

History & key milestones (condensed)

• 1911: Formed as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR).
• 1924: Renamed International Business Machines (IBM).
• 1950s–1970s: Became a dominant mainframe vendor; System/360 (1964) set standards for compatible computer families.
• 1981: IBM PC launched; architecture influential for the PC ecosystem.
• 1990s–2000s: Shift toward services and software; divested commodity PC business (Lenovo acquisition of PC unit in 2005).
• 2011–2019: Focus on cloud, analytics and AI; acquisition of Red Hat in 2019 (~$34B) to bolster hybrid cloud.
• 2020s: Pivot to hybrid cloud + AI under CEO Arvind Krishna; launch and expansion of Watson/AI enterprise offerings and IBM Quantum initiatives.

Strategic priorities (2024–2025 focus)

• Hybrid cloud leadership: leveraging Red Hat OpenShift to deliver consistent application and data services across on‑premises and public clouds.
• Enterprise AI (generative AI): packaging models, data governance, and deployment tooling for regulated enterprise environments (watsonx and vertical solutions).
• Automation & security: products to automate business processes and secure enterprise data and transactions.
• Mainframe and high‑throughput infrastructure: continuing investment in IBM Z and Power platforms for mission‑critical workloads.
• Quantum computing: advancing quantum hardware, software (Qiskit) and ecosystem partnerships for future‑facing workloads.
• Sustainability & responsible AI: corporate commitments around emissions, responsible AI practices, and governance for enterprise model use.

Leadership

• Arvind Krishna — CEO (succeeded Ginni Rometty in 2020). Krishna has driven the company toward hybrid cloud, open source integration (Red Hat) and enterprise AI services.

Selected sources & further reading

• IBM official site: https://www.ibm.com
• IBM investor relations and Q1 FY2025 earnings release (April 2025)
• IBM — Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM
• Coverage and analysis from major business and technology outlets (e.g., Reuters, WSJ, Bloomberg) for earnings and strategic updates