IBM (IBM) Fireside chat summary

Introduction and agenda

• The session featured the CEO, CFO, and Head of Research, with open Q&A and a focus on AI, hybrid cloud, M&A, mainframe innovation, consulting, and quantum computing.

Background and experience of the speaker

• The CEO and CFO discussed their disciplined approach to productivity, portfolio optimization, and capital allocation since the leadership transition.

• The Head of Research shared a decade-long perspective on quantum computing advancements and industry leadership.

Current industry trends

• AI and hybrid cloud are central to growth, with $5.5B in productivity savings and a focus on workflow optimization and ROI.

• M&A strategy targets category leaders in technology, emphasizing disciplined returns and integration.

• Mainframe and infrastructure are benefiting from compute shortages and increased workload demand.

• Consulting is shifting to a service-as-software model, with GenAI now 30% of backlog and strong new client penetration.

• Quantum computing is moving from lab to industry, with over 30 systems above 100 qubits deployed and a public roadmap to fault-tolerant systems by 2029.