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IBM Unveils watsonx Generative AI Capabilities to Accelerate Mainframe Application Modernization

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IBM is designing this product to refactor, transform, and validate COBOL code to help speed time-to-value and augment skills for critical application modernization on IBM ZThe product will be enabled by a 20 billion parameter large language model (LLM) for code

ARMONK, N.Y., Aug. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced watsonx Code Assistant for Z, a new generative AI-assisted product that will help enable faster translation of COBOL to Java on IBM Z and enhances developer productivity on the platform. This product will be generally available in Q4 2023, and is being designed to help accelerate COBOL application modernization. Watsonx Code Assistant for Z will preview during TechXchange, IBM’s premier technical learning event in Las Vegas, Sept 11-13.

Watsonx Code Assistant for Z is a new addition to the watsonx Code Assistant product family, along with IBM watsonx Code Assistant for Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed, scheduled for release later this year. These solutions will be powered by IBM’s watsonx.ai code model, which will have knowledge of 115 coding languages1 having learned from 1.5 trillion tokens.2 At 20 billion parameters, it is on target to become one of the largest generative AI foundation models for code automation.3 The watsonx Code Assistant product portfolio will extend over time to address other programming languages, to improve time to value for modernization and address growing skills challenges for developers.

Watsonx Code Assistant for Z is being designed to assist businesses in leveraging generative AI and automated tooling to accelerate their mainframe application modernization – all with the goal of preserving the performance, security and resiliency capabilities of IBM Z.

The COBOL data processing language supports many vital business and operational processes at organizations globally. At scale, using watsonx Code Assistant for Z in comparison to other approaches could make it easier for developers to selectively and incrementally transform COBOL business services into well architected high-quality Java code – with estimated billions of lines of COBOL code as potential candidates for targeted modernization over time. Generative AI can help developers to more quickly assess, update, validate and test the right code, allowing them to more efficiently modernize large applications and focus on higher impact tasks.

IBM is designing these capabilities to provide tooling for each step of the modernization journey. The solution is expected to include IBM’s Application Discovery and Delivery Intelligence (ADDI) inventory and analysis tool. Following ADDI, key steps on the journey include refactoring business services in COBOL, transforming COBOL code to Java code with an optimized design, and validating the resulting outcome, including using automated testing capabilities. Potential benefits for clients include:

Accelerating code development and increasing developer productivity throughout the application modernization lifecycleManaging total cost, complexity, and risk of application modernization initiatives, including translation and optimization of code in-place on IBM ZExpanding access to a broader pool of IT skills and accelerating developer onboardingAchieving high quality, easy to maintain code through model customization and the application of best practices

“Our collaboration with IBM is an important element in our drive to leverage generative AI interfaces to challenge legacy approaches with material productivity gains, and reinvent our Capital Markets solutions,” said Roger Burkhardt, CTO, Capital Markets and AI, Broadridge Financial. “We have had excellent client response to our generative AI investments and we are intrigued by the opportunity to further our efforts by leveraging IBM watsonx Code Assistant for Z to address a broader range of platforms.”

AI-assisted mainframe application modernization is an imperative

According to new research from the IBM Institute for Business Value, organizations are 12x more likely to leverage existing mainframe assets rather than rebuild their application estates from scratch in the next two years. At the same time, however, the study shows that the number one challenge for those same organizations is a lack of resources and skills.

“By bringing generative AI capabilities through watsonx to new use cases, we plan to drive real progress for our clients,” said Kareem Yusuf, PhD, Senior Vice President, Product Management and Growth, IBM Software. “IBM is engineering watsonx Code Assistant for Z to take a targeted and optimized approach. It’s built to rapidly and accurately convert code optimized for IBM Z, accelerate time to market and broaden the skills pool. This can help enhance applications and add new capabilities while preserving the performance, resiliency, and security inherent in IBM Z.”

There are many application modernization approaches available today. Some options include rewriting all application code in Java, or migrating everything to public cloud, which may sacrifice capabilities that are core to the IBM Z value proposition while failing to deliver on expected cost reduction. Tools that convert COBOL applications to Java syntax can produce code that is hard to maintain and can be unrecognizable to a Java developer. Generative AI is promising, but current AI-assisted partial re-write technology lacks COBOL support and doesn’t optimize the resulting Java code for the given task.

The resulting Java code from watsonx Code Assistant for Z will be object-oriented. IBM is designing this solution to be optimized to interoperate with the rest of the COBOL application, with CICS, IMS, DB2, and other z/OS runtimes. Java on Z is designed to be performance-optimized versus a compared x86 platform.4

Building on a foundation of governance and innovation

According to a 2023 Gartner® report (For Gartner Subscribers only), “by 2028, the combination of humans and AI assistants working in tandem could reduce the time to complete coding tasks by 30%.” The report further states that “the use of AI code generation tools is not replacing the quality assurance (QA) processes and security controls that are needed by developers for robust and secure product development, as well as for mitigation of inherited risks from using generative methods for code.”5

Protecting sensitive data and customer intellectual property are critical when it comes to implementing generative AI. IBM for decades has followed core principles, grounded in commitments to Trust and Transparency. With this principle-based approach, the watsonx platform aims to enable enterprises to leverage their own trusted data and IP to build tailored AI solutions that are scalable across operations.

Additionally, IBM Consulting brings deep domain expertise in IBM Z application modernization with a focus on guiding clients that leverage the platform across key industries such as banking, insurance, healthcare and government. These dedicated consultants can help clients identify the right application areas to modernize in order to optimize the potential benefits of watsonx Code Assistant for Z.  

For more information about AI-assisted mainframe application modernization, and to get started with IBM’s optimized, targeted approach, please visit our website here and join us at TechXchange. Register today for our watsonx Code Assistant for Z webinar on Sept. 21 at 11 am ET here and learn how IBM is bringing Gen AI to mainframe application modernization. You can also schedule a live demo with our team here.

IBM’s plans, directions, and intentions may change or be withdrawn at any time at IBM’s discretion without notice. Information about potential future products and improvements is provided to give a general idea of IBM’s goals and objectives and should not be used in making a purchase decision. IBM is not obligated to provide any material, code, or functionality based on this information.

5 Gartner, Emerging Tech: Generative AI Code Assistants Are Becoming Essential to Developer Experience, By Radu Miclaus, Arun Chandrasekaran, Ray Valdes, Mark Driver, Eric Goodness, Published 11 May 2023

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. More than 4,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s legendary commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service.

Media Contact:
Ashley Peterson
ashley.peterson@ibm.com 

1 List of coding languages used in the model can be found here: https://github.ibm.com/ai-models-architectures/Granite-Megatron-LM/blob/starcoder-experiments/sampling_proportions/starcoderdata-90/proportions.txt
2 Number based on proprietary internal data.
3 Previous largest was community model StarCoder at 15B https://www.marktechpost.com/2023/05/07/meet-starcoder-the-biggest-open-source-large-language-models-for-code/
4 For example, as noted during the announcement of IBM z16, using IBM Semeru Runtime Certified Edition 11, run Business Rules Processing with IBM Operational Decision Manager 8.11.00 on Linux on IBM z16 for up to 70% higher throughput per core     versus running the same application on a compared x86 server. DISCLAIMER: Performance results are based on the average of measurements done using IBM Operational Decision Manager (ODM) 8.11.0 with IBM Java 8.0.7.10 and IBM Semeru Runtime Certified Edition 11.0.15.0 on IBM z16 and on a compared x86 server. Two different configurations were tested: executing 2005 rules (from a ruleset containing 14560 rules), and executing 80 rules (from a ruleset containing 300 rules). IBM z16 configuration: Linux on IBM Z LPAR with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.5 (Ootpa) and 4 IFLs (SMT). x86 server configuration: Red Hat Enterprise Linux release 8.6 (Ootpa) and 4 SMT-2 cores (Cascade Lake Intel(R) Xeon(R) Gold 6226R CPU @ 2.90GHz). Results may vary.

 

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Trustpilot wins landmark legal case against review sellers ahead of new law banning the sale of fake reviews

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November 18, 2024

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LONDON, Nov. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Trustpilot, the global online consumer review platform, has won a landmark legal case in the UK against a series of websites that were selling hundreds of fake reviews.

The High Court agreed the review sellers – TPR, SMM Service Buy and SMM 420, were unlawfully inducing businesses who use the platform to breach its terms of use, passing off fake reviews as authorised by Trustpilot and infringing its trademarks.

Following the ruling, Trustpilot is calling on internet service providers and payment providers to take down the websites identified in the legal action.     

The ruling comes as the Competition and Markets Authority prepares to enforce a new law banning the practice of buying or procuring fake reviews. The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act comes into force in April 2025, which will allow the CMA to take action against businesses who break the rules.

Anoop Joshi, Trustpilot’s Chief Trust Officer said: “This is a significant moment in the fight against websites that sell fake reviews, and we want to send a clear message that we will not tolerate review seller activity on Trustpilot. We decided to take action now, ahead of the UK law being introduced, because we’re determined to root out and take action against businesses or individuals who could pose a threat to the integrity of our platform. Ensuring businesses and consumers are able to access genuine reviews on Trustpilot is essential to safeguarding the services we provide”.

Over the past 2 years Trustpilot has successfully brought 10 legal cases against businesses who continually abused the platform’s rules to manipulate others through online reviews. In 2023 Trustpilot removed 3.3 million fake reviews from the platform. The removal rate remains consistent at 6% of the total amount of reviews received year on year. 

About Trustpilot

Trustpilot began in 2007 with a simple yet powerful idea that is more relevant today than ever – to be the universal symbol of trust, bringing consumers and businesses together through reviews. Trustpilot is open, independent, and impartial – we help consumers make the right choices and businesses to build trust, grow and improve.

Today, we have more than 300 million reviews on the platform and 57 million monthly active users across the globe, with 117 billion annual Trustpilot brand impressions, and the numbers keep growing. We have more than 900 employees and we’re headquartered in Copenhagen, with operations in Amsterdam, Denver, Edinburgh, Hamburg, London, Melbourne, Milan and New York. 

For more information, please visit www.trustpilot.com

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/R E P E A T — MEDIA ADVISORY – Media tour of Centre Block construction site/

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November 18, 2024

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GATINEAU, QC, Nov. 15, 2024 /CNW/ – Members of the specialized media are invited to follow a guided tour of the Centre Block construction site on Tuesday, November 19. Representatives from Public Services and Procurement Canada and Parliamentary Administrations will provide the tour and answer questions.

Please note that all details are subject to change. All times are local.

Date: Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Bilingual Tour : meeting time 8:45 a.m.

Meeting point: Centennial Flame, Parliament Hill 

Duration: Approximately 3 hours, including the health and safety briefing

Please note that space is limited. To register, please contact Media Relations by email no later than Monday, November 18 at 2:00 p.m.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please be aware that the tour will take place in an active construction site. A mandatory health and safety briefing will be provided and protective equipment (boots, hard hat, glasses, gloves and vest) will be distributed on-site before the tour. Long pants are required and tank tops are not allowed for health and safety reasons. Please note:  boot sizes are required in advance and should be provided upon registration.

For security reasons, photography and video will be restricted in certain areas.

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SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada

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Dispersive Appoints Cybersecurity Visionary Lawrence Pingree as Vice President – Technical Marketing

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November 18, 2024

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Veteran Cybersecurity Leader to Spearhead Strategic Marketing and Strengthen Dispersive’s Stealth Networking Solutions Amid Evolving Cyber Threats

ROSWELL, Ga., Nov. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Dispersive, an innovative leader in Stealth Networking technology, is proud to announce the appointment of Lawrence Pingree as Vice President – Technical Marketing. Pingree, a seasoned cybersecurity executive with a distinguished track record at Gartner and across the industry, will play a pivotal role in propelling Dispersive’s mission to redefine secure communications and bolster global cybersecurity resilience.

A Proven Leader in Cybersecurity

With nearly 30 years of impactful experience, Lawrence Pingree has cemented his reputation as a thought leader and influential figure in the cybersecurity field. During his tenure at Gartner, Pingree held multiple executive positions, including Vice President Emerging Technologies and Trends – Cloud and Endpoint Security, Managing Vice President of Emerging Technologies – Security & Risk, and Research Vice President – Security Technologies. His strategic oversight and visionary research significantly shaped the understanding and evolution of critical cybersecurity technology.

Pingree’s contributions include publishing over 300 influential research notes, introducing groundbreaking concepts such as Security as a Service (SaaS), Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN), Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), Threat Intelligence Platforms (TIP), Threat Intelligence Gateways (TIG) and Secure Internet Gateways (SIG). His work provided key strategic and tactical guidance to technology providers and end-users alike, empowering them to navigate an increasingly complex threat landscape.

In addition to his corporate roles, Pingree’s professional affiliations have included serving as Vice President of the Digital Forensics Association, being an active member of the Silicon Valley chapter of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) and contributing to the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP). These roles underscore his commitment to advancing cybersecurity knowledge and practice at both organizational and community levels.

Joining Forces with Dispersive

“Joining Dispersive is an opportunity to align my passion for cybersecurity with a company that embodies true innovation in secure networking,” said Pingree. “Dispersive’s approach to preemptive, quantum-resistant cybersecurity uniquely positions it to address the urgent and evolving needs of our hyperconnected world. I am excited to contribute to the company’s mission to safeguard global communications through cutting-edge, adaptable solutions.”

Dispersive’s Stealth Networking solutions leverage military-grade tactics to ensure data in transit is secure and protected against advanced threats, including nation-state actors and complex supply chain attacks. By constructing virtual, active/active multipath mesh networks with rolling encryption keys and granular access controls, Dispersive offers unmatched security, resilience, and performance. The software-only solution can be globally deployed in minutes, requiring minimal operational overhead and seamlessly integrating with existing infrastructure.

“With Lawrence’s deep expertise and leadership, Dispersive is positioned to not only reinforce our technological innovation but also scale our customer and market impact,” said Rajiv Pimplaskar, CEO of Dispersive. “His proven ability to introduce and drive new ideas and technologies makes him ideal to drive our strategic marketing initiatives and help safeguard our critical infrastructure customers.”

About Dispersive

Dispersive is a pioneering provider of secure networking software, focused on preemptive cybersecurity and Stealth Networking. Inspired by military strategies, Dispersive’s technology ensures unmatched data security, obfuscation, and network performance. With solutions like DispersiveCloud and DispersiveFabric, the company empowers organizations to operate securely and confidently in an environment where cybersecurity threats driven by hyperconnectivity, generative AI, and quantum computing are at an all-time high. For more information on Dispersive and its innovative approach to cybersecurity, visit www.dispersive.io.

Media Contact:
Amy Levine
Director of Marketing
Dispersive
844.403.5850
alevine@dispersive.io
www.dispersive.io

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SOURCE Dispersive Holdings, Inc.

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