An exclusive look inside the new IBM Research Think Lab

Welcome to The Short, IBM Research's recap of the latest innovations in AI, quantum computing, semiconductors, and the cloud.

Week of August 26 - September 2, 2024

In this week's edition:

• Exploring our lab for the future of computing
• Meet the latest processors announced at Hot Chips
• Watsonx in action at the US Open

How IBM Research built a lab for the future of computing

We'd like to introduce you to the Think Lab. More than just a showroom, it's a working lab that brings together IBM Research's vision for the future of hybrid cloud, AI, and quantum computing —  bits, neurons, and qubits. Situated in the global headquarters for IBM Research, tucked into the edge of the woods just north of New York City, the Think Lab is an ever-changing space that's already home to the Quantum System Two and server blades that house our latest AIU nodes. Over time, these elements will be joined by what comes next, as we shape the future of computing.

💡 Read the blog here

Take a look inside our newest working compute lab:

IBM at Hot Chips Symposium 2024

Last week we explored our new Spyre accelerator, but that wasn't the only thing IBM announced at Hot Chips. Meet the newest additions to the IBM Telum processor family:

New Telum II Processor and IBM Spyre Accelerator: Expanding AI on IBM Z

• IBM Telum II Processor: Designed to power next-generation IBM Z systems, the new IBM chip features increased frequency, memory capacity, and a 40% larger cache. It also has an integrated AI accelerator core, as well as a coherently attached data processing unit (DPU). The new processor is expected to support enterprise compute solutions for LLMs, servicing enterprise’s complex transaction needs.

🔥 Read the blog here

New IBM Processor Innovations To Accelerate AI on Next-Generation IBM Z Mainframe Systems

• I/O acceleration unit: The completely new DPU on the Telum II processor chip is engineered to accelerate complex I/O protocols for networking and storage on the mainframe. It is designed to improve data handling with a 50% increased IO density. It will enhance the overall efficiency and scalability of IBM Z, and will be well-suited to handle the large-scale AI workloads and data-intensive applications required by today's businesses.

🔥 Read more on the news here

Watsonx at the US Open

As the US Open kicked off in New York this week, several IBMers were in attendance, getting to see how watsonx technology has been rolled out to improve the fan experience:

Using AI models to fight climate change in Kenya

Recently, IBM’s Dr. Juan Bernabe Moreno sat down with Ambassador Philip Thigo, MBS to discuss the cutting-edge technologies Kenya is deploying to fight climate change. Watch as Ambassador Thigo explains how this technology impacts Kenyan citizens and where they hope to apply it next:

IBM and Intel joining forces

IBM and Intel Business are partnering to innovate enterprise AI solutions. Check out this post to learn more about how the two are integrating IntelGaudi 3 AI accelerators with watsonx on IBM Cloud:

Research roundup

Highlighting new publications from IBM researchers that we liked the sound of:

• How do Categorical Duplicates Affect ML? A New Benchmark and Empirical Analyses
• Towards Learning Abductive Reasoning using VSA Distributed Representations
• Fine-tuning of Geospatial Foundation Models for Aboveground Biomass Estimation

IBM Research history

On August 26, 1996, IBM virtually opened the doors to its innovations on the World Wide Web, allowing information superhighway surfers to click on www.alphaWorks.ibm.com. Check out "This Day" in IBM Research History to learn more and see the original site:

How would you like to see AI used in sports?

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