{
  "id": 3005087,
  "title": "IBM’s next-gen mainframe chip is the first to run Arm and Z workloads on the same cores",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/ibms-next-gen-mainframe-chip-is-the-first-to-run-arm-and-z-workloads",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-24T11:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "VentureBeat",
    "slug": "venturebeat",
    "url": "https://venturebeat.com/infrastructure/ibms-next-gen-mainframe-chip-is-the-first-to-run-arm-and-z-workloads-on-the-same-cores"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "IBM is set to revolutionize the mainframe industry with its next-generation chip, capable of seamlessly running both IBM's proprietary instruction set and Arm architecture workloads on the same cores. This groundbreaking processor, to be integrated into the upcoming IBM Z and LinuxONE systems, marks the first dual-architecture mainframe processor ever developed. By enabling enterprises to execute the rapidly expanding ecosystem of Arm-native Linux software alongside the z/OS transaction-processing workloads that power the world's financial institutions, the chip addresses the long-standing challenge of maintaining the mainframe's relevance in the AI era.\n\nThe key engineering feat lies in the chip's design, which incorporates 11 bilingual cores capable of dynamically switching between Arm and Z software modes. This innovative approach, leveraging the open-source KVM hypervisor, allows for the coexistence of Arm64 Linux virtual machines and Linux on Z virtual machines, all running concurrently without any performance penalty. The switch between modes occurs at the nanosecond scale, effectively negating any overhead.\n\nBuilt on a state-of-the-art 2-nanometer process node, the chip boasts exceptionally fast processing speeds with each core operating at a base frequency exceeding 5.7 GHz. Additionally, the chip incorporates on-chip AI inference accelerators for real-time fraud detection, a dedicated data processing unit for I/O acceleration, and a large cache architecture. These specifications position the chip as a modern and powerful alternative to traditional mainframe technology, while still delivering the reliability and performance that businesses have come to expect.",
  "summary": "IBM is announcing today at the annual Hot Chips conference what may be the most consequential change to mainframe architecture in decades: a processor whose cores can natively execute both IBM's own instruction set and Arm's — switching between the two in nanoseconds. The chip, which will power the next generation of IBM Z and LinuxONE systems, is the first dual-architecture mainframe processor…",
  "key_points": [
    "IBM's next-gen mainframe chip runs both Arm and Z workloads on same cores",
    "Chip features 11 bilingual cores switching between Arm and Z modes nanoseconds",
    "Chip built on 2-nanometer process with AI accelerators for fraud detection"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}