IBM is developing a dual-architecture chip to run Arm-native AI apps on Z mainframes and Linux servers
IBM Corp. said today at the annual Hot Chips 2026 conference that it’s developing a groundbreaking new dual-architecture processor in partnership with the British chip design firm Arm Holdings Ltd. that’s destined to power its next-generation IBM Z mainframes and LinuxONE systems. The new chip, which doesn’t yet have a name, is special because it’s […] The post IBM is developing a…
At the Hot Chips 2026 conference, IBM unveiled its new dual-architecture processor, developed in collaboration with Arm Holdings, designed to run both z/OS and Arm-native Linux workloads simultaneously on IBM Z mainframes and LinuxONE systems. This groundbreaking innovation marks the first time Arm's vast software ecosystem has been integrated into IBM's enterprise computing infrastructure, which is primarily used for financial applications.
The processor, not yet named, will eliminate the need for virtualization or emulation, enabling Arm-based workloads to run on IBM's sensitive data systems without compromising performance. Featuring a unified architecture with 11 high-performance cores running at 5.7 gigahertz per second, the chip also includes on-chip data processing units and AI inference accelerators for real-time fraud detection.
This development aims to bridge the previously isolated computing ecosystems of IBM Z mainframes and LinuxONE systems, as well as Arm's cloud-native and AI software platforms, attracting enterprises in highly regulated industries to adopt IBM's hardware while benefiting from the extensive Arm software ecosystem.
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