International Business Machines (IBM) has launched its Power11 line of data‑centre chips and servers—the firm’s first major upgrade to the Power series since 2020.
With this, IBM aims to simplify AI deployment in enterprise settings, focusing on inference use cases rather than high‑intensity AI training.
New hardware, built‑in resilience
IBM’s Power11 systems integrate next‑generation chips and specialised software in a unified package—similar to Nvidia’s AI server approach—but aim expressly at reliability and security.
Tom McPherson, general manager of Power Systems, reportedly believes the refreshed platform emphasises energy efficiency and operational uptime, with no planned downtime for software updates and an average of just over 30 seconds of unplanned downtime annually.
The new servers feature cybersecurity enhancements reportedly capable of detecting ransomware attacks within 60 seconds—a response capability bolstered by integrated counter‑intrusion measures. The hardware is expected to be available globally from 25 July.
Targeting enterprise AI inference
IBM is positioning Power11 not as a high‑end training rig but as a plug‑and‑play solution for inference workloads.
McPherson told Reuters, “It’s not going to have all the horsepower for training … but it’s going to have really good inferencing capabilities that are simple to integrate”. This contrasts with Nvidia’s training‑focused strategy, highlighting IBM’s intent to serve sectors such as finance, manufacturing and healthcare, where steady, reliable AI acceleration is critical.
Later in 2025, IBM plans to integrate Power11 with its Spyre AI accelerator chip—introduced last year—to further enhance inference performance. This will enrich the integrated ecosystem and support hybrid workloads spanning on‑premises and cloud environments.
Hybrid cloud and uptime gains
Power11 supports IBM’s hybrid‑cloud vision: in addition to physical servers, a virtualised version—IBM Power Virtual Server—will be available in IBM Cloud.
According to IBM, Power11 achieves “six‑nines” uptime availability (99.9999%) and ensures zero planned downtime, enabling continuous business operations. The platform also includes NIST‑compliant cybersecurity features, such as Power Cyber Vault, which offers rapid ransomware detection and response.
Additionally, built‑in on‑chip inferencing capabilities, coupled with the upcoming Spyre Accelerator, aim to reduce latency and operational complexity when rolling out AI‑driven workflows. IBM’s watsonx tools will integrate with Power11 to facilitate application modernisation and code‑level insights for developers.