IBM Expands Consulting Services to Maximize Value from Oracle’s Cloud and Generative AI Technologies
Introduction
On September 10, 2024, IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced an exciting expansion of its consulting services aimed at helping clients derive greater value from Oracle’s cloud applications and generative AI technologies. This move is designed to address the increasing compute costs and the pressing need for specialized expertise in generative AI, which are becoming significant concerns for executives across industries.
Overview of IBM’s Announcement
IBM’s latest initiative aims to support Oracle clients through an expanded network of consultants. These consultants are certified in a wide range of Oracle technologies, including Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Generative AI, OCI AI Services, and OCI Data Science. Additionally, they possess deep expertise in IBM’s own AI and data platform, watsonx.
The Growing Demand for Generative AI Solutions
According to recent research from the IBM Institute for Business Value, compute costs are expected to rise by 89% between 2023 and 2025. Furthermore, 42% of executives have expressed concerns that a lack of expertise in generative AI could hinder their progress. IBM’s expanded consulting services aim to address these challenges by providing the necessary expertise to maximize return-on-investment and optimize compute and implementation costs.
IBM’s Comprehensive Approach
IBM Consulting has launched an expanded network of consultants to support Oracle clients globally. These consultants are not only certified across core Oracle technologies but are also skilled in IBM’s watsonx AI and data platform. This enables them to help clients extend high-value generative AI use cases alongside traditional AI and automation solutions.
The consultants will assist clients in selecting and deploying the right AI models tailored to their specific needs. This includes enterprise-grade models such as IBM Granite, open-source models, or other third-party options. With their deep expertise, IBM consultants can guide critical decisions around technology architecture, software licensing, data analytics, and security risks.
Strategic Acquisition: Accelalpha
In a related development, IBM has announced its intent to acquire Accelalpha, a global Oracle services provider. Accelalpha specializes in helping clients digitize core business operations and accelerate the adoption of Oracle Cloud Applications. This acquisition will further bolster IBM’s Oracle consulting capabilities, providing clients with even more comprehensive support.
Client-Centric Solutions
Corinne Koppel, Global Oracle Practice Leader at IBM Consulting, emphasized the importance of addressing clients’ concerns about rising compute costs and the lack of in-house AI skills. "Our clients are eager to extend generative AI initiatives but are also concerned about rising compute costs, lack of in-house AI skills, AI assistant sprawl, and management oversight," she said. "We’re proud to bring clients even more skills and solutions to help them optimize their investments with Oracle’s full stack generative AI technology leveraging an open architecture."
Enhancing Oracle Fusion Applications
IBM Consulting is already making significant strides in helping Oracle clients apply generative AI, traditional AI, and automation to domain-specific and industry-specific solutions. This complements Oracle Fusion Applications’ embedded AI offerings. For instance, IBM Consulting has assisted Oracle Fusion Applications customers in expanding use cases in human resources, procurement and sourcing, finance, and the public sector.
Accelerating Time-to-Value with IBM Consulting Advantage
IBM consultants leverage the AI-powered engagement platform, IBM Consulting Advantage, to accelerate clients’ time-to-value. This platform improves consistency, repeatability, quality, and speed of delivery. IBM Consulting has also expanded its OCI migration and modernization capabilities with generative AI-powered assets within IBM Consulting Advantage. This helps clients fast-track the migration of their applications and data to OCI.
A Long-Standing Partnership
IBM and Oracle share a robust 38-year partnership that spans both technology and services. They continue to explore new opportunities for collaboration, such as the recent announcement of the availability of the Red Hat OpenShift hybrid cloud application platform on OCI. Oracle is also a part of the AI Alliance, co-founded by IBM in 2023, which aims to support open innovation and open science in AI.
IBM’s Commitment to Business Transformation
With deep industry expertise spanning strategy, experience design, technology, and operations, IBM Consulting is a catalyst for business transformation. IBM’s 160,000 consultants embrace an open way of working, combining diverse voices, experiences, and technologies like hybrid cloud and AI to accelerate business transformation. Supported by IBM Garage, their proven collaborative engagement model, IBM delivers solutions to some of the world’s most complex challenges.
Final Thoughts
IBM’s expanded consulting services and strategic acquisition of Accelalpha are poised to provide clients with the expertise and tools needed to maximize the value of their investments in Oracle’s cloud and generative AI technologies. This initiative underscores IBM’s commitment to helping clients navigate the complexities of digital transformation, optimize their technology investments, and achieve their business goals.
About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI solutions, as well as consulting expertise. The company helps clients in over 175 countries capitalize on data insights, streamline business processes, reduce costs, and gain a competitive edge. IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift are trusted by more than 4,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications, and healthcare. IBM’s innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions, and consulting services offer open and flexible options to clients, backed by a commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity, and service.
For more information, visit www.ibm.com.
Contact Information
For further inquiries, please contact:
Michelle Morrison
Email: morrison@us.ibm.com
Conclusion
IBM’s expanded consulting services and strategic initiatives highlight its dedication to helping clients navigate the evolving landscape of cloud and AI technologies. By providing expert guidance and innovative solutions, IBM aims to empower businesses to achieve their digital transformation goals efficiently and effectively.
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