IBM’s new AI and data platform watsonx will receive a number of additional AI functions and base models.

New AI features and core models are coming to watsonx, the AI ​​and data platform that IBM launched in May. Some of it is part of a new series called Granite.

Elementary level, my dear Watsonx

The new AI model series IBM Granite consists of several foundation models of different sizes and is only equipped with a decoder. You’ll work with generative AI on tasks involving language and code, such as summarizing, content generation, and insights.

Two new features are coming to watsonx.ai:

• tuning studio: An efficient and cost-effective way to fine-tune prompts and customize foundation models
• Synthetic data generator: a wizard that helps users create artificial tabular data from custom data schemas and internal datasets

Another update is generative AI for watsonx.data, a data store based on an open lakehouse architecture. Through a natural language interface, users can discover, magnify, visualize and refine data for the AI ​​itself.

The company also plans to integrate vector database capabilities into watsonx.data. The system thus supports use cases in the watsonx.ai platform.

IBM is also launching a technical preview of watsonx.governance. It allows users to automatically collect and document foundation model details. You also have access to various model risk governance features. For example, stakeholders can see relevant metrics for all AI workflows in their company in dashboards, so employees interact with the system at the right time.

Then the various AI assistants come to watsonx:

• Code Assistant products: Allows developers to transform code and make code suggestions over base models
• Code Wizard for Z: Increase developer productivity and accelerate modernization of COBOL applications
• Code Wizard for Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed: Helping developers write Ansible playbooks at all levels
• Watsonx Assistant: Conversational AI for customer service
• IBM Support Insights Pro: Helps customers gain insights into their IT infrastructure through Watsonx Assistant to proactively assess risks and find support platforms
• Orchestrate Watsonx: Helps HR teams automate repetitive tasks and back office processes via a conversational interface

Availability

The synthetic data generator is available now, the Granitse series as well as the tuning studio in the third quarter of this year. The generative AI for Watsonx will arrive in the fourth quarter and then there will also be a technical preview of the vector database features.

IBM will provide further explanation at its TechXchange conference next week in Las Vegas. For those who can’t attend we can imagine this is a bit last minute, there are plenty of live sessions to watch online.

There was AI news at IBM two weeks ago when it was announced that the company wanted to use the technology to modernize mainframe computers. The technology giant has now also worked with NASA on an open source AI model that can interpret satellite images.