IBM

Last updated 2026.03.24

{{Short description|American multinational technology company}} {{Redirect|Big Blue|other uses|Big Blue (disambiguation)|and|IBM (disambiguation)}} {{Use American English|date=February 2019}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox company | name = International Business Machines Corporation | trade_name = IBM | logo = IBM logo.svg | logo_size = 170 | logo_caption = Logo since 1972, designed by [[Paul Rand]] | image = IBM CHQ - Oct 2014.jpg | image_caption = IBM CHQ in [[Armonk, New York]], in 2014 | former_name = [[Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company]] (1911–1924) | type = [[Public company|Public]] | traded_as = {{ubl|{{NYSE|IBM}}|[[DJIA]] component|[[S&P 100]] component|[[S&P 500]] component}} | predecessors = {{plainlist|

  • [[Bundy Manufacturing Company]]
  • [[Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company#Computing Scale Company of America|Computing Scale Company of America]]
  • [[International Time Recording Company]]
  • [[Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company#Tabulating Machine Company|Tabulating Machine Company]]
  • [[Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company]]}} | ISIN = {{ISIN|US4592001014}} | founders = {{plainlist|
  • [[George Winthrop Fairchild]]
  • [[Charles Ranlett Flint]]
  • [[Herman Hollerith]]}} | area_served = 177 countries | key_people = {{plainlist|
  • [[Arvind Krishna]] ([[chairman]] & [[Chief executive officer|CEO]]){{cite news |title=IBM Is Blowing Up Its Annual Performance Review |url=https://fortune.com/2016/02/01/ibm-employee-performance-reviews/ |url-status=live |work=Fortune |date=February 1, 2016 |access-date=July 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029084543/https://fortune.com/2016/02/01/ibm-employee-performance-reviews/ |archive-date=October 29, 2020}}{{cite web |title=IBM – Arvind Krishna – Chief Executive Officer |url=https://www.ibm.com/about/arvind |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308034905/https://www.ibm.com/about/arvind |archive-date=March 8, 2022|access-date=March 8, 2022 |website=www.ibm.com |language=en-US}}
  • [[Gary Cohn]] ([[vice chairman]]){{cite web |title=IBM Newsroom - Gary Cohn |url=https://newsroom.ibm.com/gary-cohn-2 |access-date=March 8, 2022 |website=IBM Newsroom |language=en-US}}}} | industry = [[Information technology]] | products = [[Automation]][[Robotics]][[Artificial intelligence]][[Cloud computing]][[Consulting]][[Blockchain]][[Computer hardware]][[Software]][[Quantum computing]] | brands = {{hlist |[[IBM cloud computing|IBM Cloud]] |[[IBM Cognos Analytics]] |[[IBM Planning Analytics]] |[[SQL]] |[[Watson (computer)|Watson]] | [[IBM Watsonx|Watsonx]]|[[IBM Information Management Software|Information Management Software]] |[[SPSS]] |[[ILOG]] |[[Tivoli Software]] |[[IBM WebSphere|WebSphere]] |alphaWorks |[[IBM Mashup Center|Mashup Center]] |[[IBM PureQuery|PureQuery]] |[[Fortran]] |[[IBM Quantum Platform]] |[[IBM mainframe|Mainframe]] |[[IBM Power Systems|Power Systems]] |[[IBM storage]] |[[IBM Q System One]] |'''([[List of IBM products|Full list]])''' }} | services = {{hlist|[[Outsourcing]]|[[Professional services]]|[[Managed services]]}} | revenue = {{increase}} {{US$|67.54 billion|link=yes}} (2025) | operating_income = {{increase}} {{US$|10.99 billion}} (2025) | net_income = {{increase}} {{US$|10.59 billion}} (2025) | assets = {{nowrap| {{increase}} {{US$|151.88 billion}} (2025)}} | equity = {{increase}} {{US$|32.74 billion}} (2025) | num_employees = {{decrease}} 264,300 (2025) | footnotes = {{cite web |title=US SEC: Form 10-K IBM |url=https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/51143/000005114325000015/ibm-20241231_d2.htm |publisher=[[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]] |date=February 25, 2025}} | owner = | founded = {{Start date and age|1911|06|16}} (as [[Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company]])[[Endicott, New York]], U.S.{{citation|contribution=Certificate of Incorporation of Computing-Tabulating-Recording-Co|title=Appendix to Hearings Before the Committee on Patents, House of Representatives, Seventy-Fourth Congress, on H. R. 4523, Part III|publisher=United States Government Printing Office|date=1935|orig-date=Incorporation paperwork filed June 16, 1911|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_8tFAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA3428|access-date=July 18, 2019|archive-date=August 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803060912/https://books.google.com/books?id=_8tFAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA3428|url-status=live}} | hq_location = 1 Orchard Road | location_city = [[Armonk, New York]] | location_country = United States | website = {{URL|https://www.ibm.com/|ibm.com}} }}

'''International Business Machines Corporation''', [[trademark|doing business as]] '''IBM''' (nicknamed '''Big Blue'''),{{Cite web |date=March 7, 2012 |title=IBM100 - The Making of International Business Machines |url=http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/ibm100/us/en/icons/makingibm/impacts/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005172652/http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/ibm100/us/en/icons/makingibm/impacts/ |archive-date=October 5, 2018 |access-date=December 30, 2022 |website=www-03.ibm.com |language=en-US}} is an American [[Multinational corporation|multinational]] [[technology company]] headquartered in [[Armonk, New York]], and present in over 175 countries.{{cite web |date=June 27, 2019 |title=Trust and responsibility. Earned and practiced daily. |url=https://www.ibm.com/blogs/corporate-social-responsibility/2019/06/trust-and-responsibility-earned-and-practiced-daily/ |access-date=December 30, 2022 |website=IBM Impact |language=en-US}}{{cite web |title=10-K |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/51143/104746919000712/0001047469-19-000712-index.htm |url-status=live |website=10-K |access-date=June 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205181213/https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/51143/104746919000712/0001047469-19-000712-index.htm |archive-date=December 5, 2019 |ref={{harvid|10-K|2018}}}} It is a [[publicly traded company]] and one of the 30 companies in the [[Dow Jones Industrial Average]].{{efn|{{As of|2024}}.}}{{cite web |title=Dow Jones Industrial Average |url=https://www.slickcharts.com/dowjones |access-date=October 3, 2024 |website=SlickCharts}}{{cite web |title=IBM Overview |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/IBM/profile |access-date=October 3, 2024 |website=Yahoo! Finance}} IBM is the largest industrial research organization in the world, with 19 research facilities across a dozen countries; for 29 consecutive years, from 1993 to 2021, it held the record for most annual U.S. [[patent]]s generated by a business.

==History== {{main|History of IBM}}

=== 1910s–1950s === IBM originated with several technological innovations developed and commercialized in the late 19th century. Julius E. Pitrap patented the computing scale in 1885;{{cite book|title=Images of America: IBM in Endicott|last1=Aswad|first1=Ed|last2=Meredith|first2=Suzanne|year=2005|publisher=[[Arcadia Publishing]]|isbn=0-7385-3700-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YzlDdhWK3IsC&q=julius+e.+pitrap+computing+scale&pg=PA39|access-date=October 22, 2020|archive-date=January 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210108020043/https://books.google.com/books?id=YzlDdhWK3IsC&q=julius+e.+pitrap+computing+scale&pg=PA39|url-status=live}} Alexander Dey invented the dial recorder (1888);{{cite web |title=Dey dial recorder, early 20th century |url=https://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10204421 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023032106/https://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10204421 |archive-date=October 23, 2020 |access-date=December 30, 2010 |website=scienceandsociety.co.uk |publisher=UK Science Museum}} [[Herman Hollerith]] patented the [[Electric Tabulating Machine]] (1889);{{cite web |title=Hollerith 1890 Census Tabulator |url=https://www.columbia.edu/acis/history/census-tabulator.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110420214449/https://www.columbia.edu/acis/history/census-tabulator.html |archive-date=April 20, 2011 |access-date=December 30, 2010 |website=columbia.edu |publisher=[[Columbia University]]}} and [[Willard Bundy]] invented a [[time clock]] to record workers' arrival and departure times on a paper tape (1889).{{cite web |title=Employee Punch Clocks |url=https://www.floridatimeclock.com/employee-punch-clocks.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711011858/https://www.floridatimeclock.com/employee-punch-clocks.htm |archive-date=July 11, 2011 |access-date=December 30, 2010 |website=floridatimeclock.com |publisher=Florida Time Clock}} On June 16, 1911, their four companies were [[Consolidation (business)|amalgamated]] in New York State by [[Charles Ranlett Flint]] forming a fifth company, the [[Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company]] (CTR) based in Endicott, New York.{{cite news |date=June 10, 1911 |title=Tabulating Concerns Unite: Flint & Co. Bring Four Together with $19,000,000 capital |page=1 |work=The New York Times |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1911/06/10/104783303.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=June 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225203320/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1911/06/10/104783303.pdf |archive-date=February 25, 2021}} The five companies had 1,300 employees and offices and plants in Endicott and [[Binghamton, New York|Binghamton]], New York; [[Dayton, Ohio]]; [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]]; [[Washington, D.C.]]; and [[Toronto]], Canada.{{cite web |title=The origins of IBM {{!}} IBM |url=https://www.ibm.com/history/ctr-and-ibm |access-date=May 28, 2024 |website=www.ibm.com |language=en-US}}

Collectively, the companies manufactured a wide array of machinery for sale and lease, ranging from commercial scales and industrial time recorders, meat and cheese slicers, to tabulators and punched cards. [[Thomas J. Watson, Sr.]], fired from the [[National Cash Register Company]] (NCR) by [[John Henry Patterson (NCR owner)|John Henry Patterson]], called on Flint and, in 1914, was offered a position at CTR.{{cite book|last1=Belden|first1=Thomas Graham|last2=Belden|first2=Marva Robins|year=1962|title=The Lengthening Shadow: The Life of Thomas J. Watson|url=https://archive.org/details/lengtheningshado00beld|url-access=registration|publisher=Little, Brown and Co.|pages=[https://archive.org/details/lengtheningshado00beld/page/89 89–93]}} Watson joined CTR as general manager and then, 11 months later, was made President when [[Competition law|antitrust]] cases relating to his time at NCR were resolved.{{cite book |last1=Campbell-Kelly |first1=Martin |title=Computer: A History of the Information Machine |last2=Aspray |first2=William F. |last3=Yost |first3=Jeffrey R. |last4=Tinn |first4=Honghong |last5=Díaz |first5=Gerardo Con |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=2023 |isbn=978-1-000-87875-2 |location=New York City}} Having learned Patterson's pioneering business practices, Watson proceeded to put the stamp of NCR onto CTR's companies.{{rp|105}} He implemented sales conventions, "generous sales incentives, a focus on customer service, an insistence on well-groomed, dark-suited salesmen and had an evangelical fervor for instilling company pride and loyalty in every worker".{{cite web |date=January 23, 2003 |title=Chronological History of IBM, 1910s |url=https://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/history/decade_1910.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826071136/https://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/history/decade_1910.html |archive-date=August 26, 2018 |access-date=January 30, 2015 |website=ibm.com |publisher=IBM}}{{cite book |last=Marcosson |first=Isaac F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-e9CAAAAIAAJ |title=Wherever Men Trade: The Romance of the Cash Register |orig-year=1945 | year=1972 |isbn=978-0-405-04713-8 |oclc=243101 |location=New York City |publisher=Dodd, Mead & Co.}} His favorite slogan, "[[Think (slogan)|THINK]]", became a mantra for each company's employees. During Watson's first four years, revenues reached $9 million (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|9000000|1919}}}} today) and the company's operations expanded to Europe, South America, Asia and Australia. Watson never liked the clumsy hyphenated name "Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company" and chose to replace it with the more expansive title "International Business Machines" which had previously been used as the name of CTR's Canadian Division;Belden (1962) p. 125 the name was changed on February 14, 1924.{{cite news |last1=Ngak |first1=Chenda |title=Made in the USA: American tech inventions |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/made-in-the-usa-american-tech-inventions/ |work=www.cbsnews.com |date=July 4, 2012}} By 1933, most of the subsidiaries had been merged into one company, IBM.(Rodgers, THINK, p. 83)

==== World War 2 ==== {{Main|IBM and World War II}}

[[File:IBM Electronic Data Processing Machine - GPN-2000-001881.jpg|thumb|left|[[NACA]] researchers using an [[IBM 704|IBM type 704]] electronic data processing machine in 1957]]

The [[Nazi Party|Nazis]] made extensive use of Hollerith punch card and alphabetical accounting equipment and IBM's majority-owned German subsidiary, Deutsche Hollerith Maschinen GmbH ([[Dehomag]]), supplied this equipment from the early 1930s. This equipment was critical to Nazi efforts to categorize citizens of both Germany and other nations that fell under Nazi control through ongoing censuses. These census data were used to facilitate the round-up of Jews and other targeted groups, and to catalog their movements through the machinery of the [[Holocaust]], including internment in the concentration camps.{{Cite book |last=Black |first=Edwin |title=[[IBM and the Holocaust|IBM and the Holocaust: The Strategic Alliance Between Nazi Germany and America's Most Powerful Corporation]] |publisher=Dialog Press |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-914153-10-8}} [[Edwin Black]] contends in ''[[IBM and the Holocaust]]'' that IBM's dealings with Nazis through its New York City headquarters persisted during World War II.{{Cite news |last=Burkeman |first=Oliver |date=March 29, 2002 |title=IBM 'dealt directly with Holocaust organisers' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/mar/29/humanities.highereducation |access-date=February 16, 2025 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} Nazi concentration camps operated a Hollerith department called Hollerith Abteilung, which had IBM machines, including calculating and sorting machines.{{Cite book |last=Pauwels |first=Jacques R. |title=Big Business and Hitler |publisher=James Lorimer & Company |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-4594-0987-3 |language=de}}

IBM as a military contractor produced 6% of the [[M1 Carbine]] rifles used in World War II, about 346,500 of them, between August 1943 and May 1944. IBM built the [[Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator]], an electromechanical computer, during World War II. It offered its first commercial stored-program computer, the vacuum tube based [[IBM 701]], in 1952. The [[IBM 305 RAMAC]] introduced the hard disk drive in 1956. The company switched to transistorized designs with the [[IBM 700/7000 series|7000]] and [[IBM 1400 series|1400]] series, beginning in 1958. The 1400 series was the first to deploy over 10000 units, making it their most successful computer device at the time.{{Cite web |title=The IBM 1401 |url=https://www.columbia.edu/cu/computinghistory/1401.html |access-date=2026-03-07 |website=www.columbia.edu}}

In 1956, the company demonstrated the first practical example of [[artificial intelligence]] when [[Arthur Samuel (computer scientist)|Arthur L. Samuel]] of IBM's [[Poughkeepsie]], New York, laboratory programmed an [[IBM 704]] not merely to play checkers but "learn" from its own experience. In 1957, the [[FORTRAN]] scientific programming language was announced.{{Cite book |last=Lorenzo |first=Mark Jones |title=The History of the Fortran Programing Language |date=2019 |publisher=SE Books |year=2019 |isbn=978-1-08239594-9 |location=Philadelphia, PA}}

=== 1960s–1980s === In 1961, IBM developed the [[Sabre (travel reservation system)|SABRE reservation system]] for [[American Airlines]] and introduced the highly successful [[IBM Selectric|Selectric]] typewriter. Also in 1961, IBM used the [[IBM 7094]] to generate the first song sung completely by a computer using synthesizers. The song was Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two). The recording is now in the United States [[National Recording Registry]].{{Cite book |last=Krapp |first=Peter |title=Computing legacies: digital cultures of simulation |date=2024 |publisher=The MIT Press |isbn=978-0-262-54983-7 |location=Cambridge, Massachusetts}}

In 1963, IBM employees and computers helped [[NASA]] track the orbital flights of the [[Project Mercury|Mercury]] astronauts. A year later, it moved its corporate headquarters from New York City to [[Armonk, New York]]. The latter half of the 1960s saw IBM continue its support of space exploration, participating in the 1965 [[Project Gemini|Gemini]] flights, 1966 Saturn flights, and 1969 lunar mission. IBM also developed and manufactured the [[Saturn V|Saturn V's]] Instrument Unit and [[Apollo program|Apollo]] spacecraft guidance computers.

[[File:IBM360-67AtUmichWithMikeAlexander.jpg|thumb|right|An [[IBM System/360]] in use at the [[University of Michigan]] {{Circa|1969}}]] [[File:Saturn_IB_and_V_Instrument_Unit.jpg|thumb|IBM guidance computer hardware for the [[Saturn V Instrument Unit]]]]

On April 7, 1964, IBM launched the first computer system family, the [[IBM System/360]]. It spanned the complete range of commercial and scientific applications from large to small, allowing companies for the first time to upgrade to models with greater computing capability without having to rewrite their applications. It was followed by the [[IBM System/370]] in 1970. Together the 360 and 370 made the [[IBM mainframe]] the dominant [[mainframe computer]] and the dominant computing platform in the industry throughout this period and into the early 1980s. They and the operating systems that ran on them such as [[OS/VS1]] and [[MVS]], and the middleware built on top of those such as the [[CICS]] transaction processing monitor, had a near-monopoly-level market share and became the thing IBM was most known for during this period.{{cite book | title=From Airline Reservations to Sonic the Hedgehog: A History of the Software Industry | first=Martin | last=Campbell-Kelly | author-link=Martin Campbell-Kelly | publisher=[[MIT Press]] | location=Cambridge, Massachusetts | year=2003 | pages=140–143, 175–176, 237}}

In 1969, the United States of America alleged that IBM violated the [[Sherman Antitrust Act]] by monopolizing or attempting to monopolize the general-purpose electronic digital computer system market, specifically computers designed primarily for business, and subsequently alleged that IBM violated the antitrust laws in IBM's actions directed against leasing companies and plug-compatible peripheral manufacturers. Shortly after, IBM unbundled its software and services in what many observers believed was a direct result of the lawsuit, creating a competitive market for software. In 1982, the Department of Justice dropped the case as "without merit".{{cite journal|url=https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/tlr60&div=37|title=Monopolization: Corporate Strategy, the IBM Cases, and the Transformation of the Law|last=Sullivan|first=Lawrence A.|journal=[[Texas Law Review]]|date=April 1982|access-date=January 14, 2022|volume=60|issue=4|pages=587–647|archive-date=January 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114192845/https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/tlr60&div=37|url-status=live}}

Also in 1969, IBM engineer [[Forrest Parry]] invented the [[magnetic stripe card]] that would become ubiquitous for credit/debit/ATM cards, driver's licenses, rapid transit cards and a multitude of other identity and access control applications. IBM pioneered the manufacture of these cards, and for most of the 1970s, the data processing systems and software for such applications ran exclusively on IBM computers. In 1974, IBM engineer [[George J. Laurer]] developed the [[Universal Product Code]].{{cite web |title=The history of the UPC bar code and how the bar code symbol and system became a world standard. |url=https://www.cummingsdesign.com/bar_code_history.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109220243/https://www.cummingsdesign.com/bar_code_history.htm |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |access-date=May 17, 2011 |website=cummingsdesign.com |publisher=Cummingsdesign}} IBM and the [[World Bank]] first introduced [[Swap (finance)|financial swaps]] to the public in 1981, when they entered into a swap agreement.{{cite book|title=Fundamentals of Corporate Finance|edition=9th, alternate|last1=Ross|last2=Westerfield|last3=Jordan|year=2010|publisher=[[McGraw Hill]]|page=746}} [[File:IBM PC-IMG 7271 (transparent).png|thumb|The [[IBM Personal Computer]] ''(pictured)'' became one of IBM's best selling products and has had a wide [[Influence of the IBM PC on the personal computer market|influence on personal computing]] since its release in 1981.]] IBM entered the [[microcomputer]] market in the 1980s with the [[IBM Personal Computer]] (IBM 5150). The computer, which spawned a [[List of IBM Personal Computer models|long line of successors]], had a profound [[Influence of the IBM PC on the personal computer market|influence on the development of the personal computer market]] and became one of IBM's best selling products of all time. Because of a lack of foresight by IBM,{{Cite book |last=Press |first=Larry |title=IBM PC |publisher=John Wiley and Sons Ltd. |year=2003 |isbn=0-470-86412-5 |publication-date=January 1, 2003 |page=833}}{{Cite web |title=Origin of the IBM PC {{!}} Low End Mac |url=https://lowendmac.com/2006/origin-of-the-ibm-pc/ |access-date=February 19, 2024 |website=lowendmac.com|date=August 12, 2006 }} the PC was not well protected by [[intellectual property]] laws. As a consequence, IBM quickly began losing its market dominance to emerging, [[IBM PC compatible|compatible]] competitors in the PC market.

In 1985, IBM collaborated with [[Microsoft]] to develop a new [[operating system]], which was released as [[OS/2]]. Following a dispute, Microsoft severed the collaboration and IBM continued development of OS/2 on its own but it failed in the marketplace against Microsoft's [[Windows]] during the mid-1990s.

=== 1990s–2000s === In 1991, IBM began spinning off its many divisions into autonomous subsidiaries (so-called "Baby Blues") in an attempt to make the company more manageable and to streamline IBM by having other investors finance those companies.{{cite journal | last=Miller | first=Michael W. | date=November 10, 1992 | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/398331696 | title='Break Up IBM,' Cry Some Investors Who See Value in Those Baby Blues | journal=The Wall Street Journal | publisher=Dow Jones & Company | page=C1 | id={{ProQuest|398331696}} }}{{cite journal | last=Ziegler | first=Bart | date=September 6, 1992 | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/268053630 | title=Big Blue still breaking up its bureaucracy | journal=Colorado Springs-Gazette | page=E3 | id={{ProQuest|268053630}} }} These included [[AdStar]], dedicated to disk drives and other data storage products; IBM Application Business Systems, dedicated to mid-range computers; IBM Enterprise Systems, dedicated to mainframes; Pennant Systems, dedicated to mid-range and large printers; [[Lexmark]], dedicated to small printers; and more.{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=September 6, 1992 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/288539645 |url-access=subscription |title=Facts, Figures on IBM's 13 Decentralized Firms |newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune |page=D14 |id={{ProQuest|288539645}} }} Lexmark was acquired by [[Clayton, Dubilier & Rice|Clayton & Dubilier]] in a [[leveraged buyout]] shortly after its formation.{{cite news |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE2D9173CF931A15751C1A967958260 |title=The Executive Computer; Can I.B.M. Learn From a Unit It Freed? |work=The New York Times |first=Peter H. |last=Lewis |date=December 22, 1991}}

In 1997, [[Deep Blue (chess computer)|Deep Blue]], a chess computer created by IBM beat Chess World Champion at the time, [[Garry Kasparov]] in a six round match following standard tournament rules.

In September 1992, IBM finished spinning off its various microcomputer personal computer manufacturing divisions and were consolidated into an autonomous wholly owned subsidiary known as the IBM Personal Computer Company (IBM PC Co.).{{cite news |last=Burgess |first=John |date=September 3, 1992 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1992/09/03/ibm-plans-division-for-its-pc-business/f732f4c5-ead6-4867-a911-c75bd6ad7ef3/ |title=IBM Plans Division For Its PC Business; One Executive Expected to Be Put in Control |newspaper=The Washington Post |page=B11 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230512002255/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1992/09/03/ibm-plans-division-for-its-pc-business/f732f4c5-ead6-4867-a911-c75bd6ad7ef3/ |archive-date=May 12, 2023}}{{cite news |last=Burgess |first=John |date=November 26, 1992 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1992/11/26/with-new-approach-and-executive-team-ibm-seeks-a-rebirth/8e8c42e0-cb95-4d75-8149-059fe121bb50/ |title=With New Approach and Executive Team, IBM Seeks a Rebirth |newspaper=The Washington Post |page=D1 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230512001140/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1992/11/26/with-new-approach-and-executive-team-ibm-seeks-a-rebirth/8e8c42e0-cb95-4d75-8149-059fe121bb50/ |archive-date=May 12, 2023}} This corporate restructuring came after IBM reported a sharp drop in profit margins during the second quarter of fiscal year 1992; market analysts attributed the drop to a fierce price war in the personal computer market over the summer of 1992.{{cite journal |last=Hooper |first=Lawrence |date=September 3, 1992 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/398296978 |title=IBM to Unveil New Structure of PC Business |journal=The Wall Street Journal |publisher=Dow Jones & Company |page=A3 |id={{ProQuest|398296978}} }} The corporate restructuring was one of the largest and most expensive in history up to that point.{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=July 28, 1993 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/256293920 |url-access=subscription |title=IBM reports record loss of $8 billion |newspaper=Austin American-Statesman |page=B6 |id={{ProQuest|256293920}} }} By the summer of 1993, the IBM PC Co. had divided into multiple business units itself, including [[Ambra Computer Corporation]] and the IBM Power Personal Systems Group, the former an attempt to design and market "[[IBM PC compatible|clone]]" computers of IBM's own architecture and the latter responsible for IBM's [[PowerPC]]-based [[workstation]]s.{{cite journal |last=Lohr |first=Steve |date=August 2, 1993 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/02/business/ibm-and-dell-stake-out-the-little-picture-in-pc-s.html |title=I.B.M. and Dell Stake Out the Little Picture in PC's |journal=The New York Times |page=D2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526082706/https://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/02/business/ibm-and-dell-stake-out-the-little-picture-in-pc-s.html |archive-date=May 26, 2015}}{{cite journal |last=Burke |first=Steven |date=September 11, 1995 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/227494932 |title=IBM Power Personal Systems group to be folded into PC Co. |journal=Computer Reseller News |publisher=CMP Publications |issue=648 |page=7 |id={{ProQuest|227494932}} }} IBM PC Co. introduced the [[ThinkPad]] clone computers, which IBM would heavily market and would eventually become one of the best-selling series of [[notebook computers]].{{cite web |title=ThinkPad {{!}} IBM |url=https://www.ibm.com/history/thinkpad |access-date=November 19, 2024 |website=www.ibm.com}}

In 1993, IBM posted an $8 billion loss – at the time the biggest in American corporate history.{{cite web|url=https://public.dhe.ibm.com/common/ssi/ecm/en/gbe03420usen/GBE03420USEN.PDF|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223004332/https://public.dhe.ibm.com/common/ssi/ecm/en/gbe03420usen/GBE03420USEN.PDF|archive-date=February 23, 2014|title=Life science: Fade or flourish ?|first1=Guy|last1=Lefever|first2=Michele|last2=Pesanello|first3=Heather|last3=Fraser|first4=Lee|last4=Taurman|year=2011|publisher=IBM Institute for Business Value|access-date=July 6, 2013|page= 2}} [[Lou Gerstner]] was hired as CEO from [[RJR Nabisco]] to turn the company around.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/chairmen/chairmen_9.html|title=IBM Archives: Louis V. Gerstner, Jr.|date=January 23, 2003|website=www.ibm.com|access-date=July 10, 2019|archive-date=September 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920153611/https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/chairmen/chairmen_9.html|url-status=live}} In 1995, IBM purchased [[Lotus Software]], best known for its [[Lotus 1-2-3]] spreadsheet software.{{Cite web |date=December 6, 1995 |title=IBM wins Lotus as offer is raised above $3.5 billion |website=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/12/us/ibm-wins-lotus-as-offer-is-raised-above-3.5-billion.html |access-date=December 17, 2024}} During the decade, IBM was working on a new operating system, named the [[Workplace OS]] project. Despite a large amount of money spent on the project, it was cancelled in 1996.

[[File:IBMinventions.png|thumb|left|IBM inventions (clockwise from top-left): the [[hard-disk drive]], [[DRAM]], the [[UPC bar code]], and the [[magnetic stripe card]]]]

In 1998, IBM merged the enterprise-oriented Personal Systems Group of the IBM PC Co. into IBM's own Global Services personal computer consulting and customer service division. The resulting merged business units then became known simply as IBM Personal Systems Group.{{cite journal | last=Zimmerman | first=Michael R. | author2=Lisa Dicarlo | date=December 14, 1998 | url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A53396059/GPS?sid=wikipedia | title=Not Your Father's PC Company Anymore | journal=PC Week | publisher=Ziff-Davis | volume=15 | issue=50 | page=1 }} A year later, IBM stopped selling their computers at retail outlets after their market share in this sector had fallen considerably behind competitors [[Compaq]] and [[Dell]].{{Cite news |last=Hansell |first=Saul |date=October 25, 1999 |title=The Strategy For I.B.M.: Loss-Leader PC Sales |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/25/business/the-strategy-for-ibm-loss-leader-pc-sales.html |access-date=March 29, 2023 |issn=0362-4331}} Immediately afterwards, the IBM PC Co. was dissolved and merged into IBM Personal Systems Group.{{cite journal | last=Greiner | first=Lynn | date=October 22, 1999 | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/225027589 | title=Big Blue to combine PC division with PSG | journal=Computing Canada | publisher=Plesman Publications | volume=25 | issue=40 | page=6 | id={{ProQuest|225027589}} }}

In the 2000s, IBM collaborated with the Chinese defense contractor Huadi to develop the “[[Golden Shield Project]]”, a large-scale policing and surveillance project in Beijing. The system was reportedly used to monitor online activity and target groups such as [[Falun Gong]], [[Uyghurs]] and other individuals considered security risks.{{Cite web|url=https://www.implicator.ai/from-golden-shield-to-global-export/|title=China Exports US-Built Surveillance Tech as Global Service|first=Robert|last=Brown|date=September 9, 2025|website=Implicator.ai}}{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/chinese-surveillance-silicon-valley-uyghurs-tech-xinjiang-00bed6421ad8d2ccc6e69f104babe892|title=How the AP uncovered US big tech's role in China's digital police state|date=September 9, 2025|website=AP News}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/silicon-valley-enabled-brutal-mass-detention-and-surveillance-in-china-internal-documents-show/ |title= Silicon Valley enabled brutal mass detention and surveillance in China, internal documents show}}

In 2002, IBM acquired PwC Consulting, the consulting arm of [[PwC]] which was merged into its [[IBM Consulting|IBM Global Services]].{{Cite web |author=Linda Rosencrance |date=July 30, 2002 |title=IBM to acquire PwC Consulting for $3.5 billion |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2576700/ibm-to-acquire-pwc-consulting-for--3-5-billion.html |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=Computerworld}}{{Cite web |author=Stephen Shankland |date=July 31, 2002 |title=IBM grabs consulting giant for $3.5 billion |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/ibm-grabs-consulting-giant-for-3-5-billion/ |access-date=October 4, 2022}} On September 14, 2004, [[LG Corporation|LG]] and IBM announced that their business alliance in the [[South Korea]]n market would end at the end of that year. Both companies stated that it was unrelated to the charges of bribery earlier that year.{{cite news |last=Won Choi |first=Hae |date=September 15, 2004 |title=IBM, LG Electronics Call Halt To PC Joint Venture in Korea |language=en-US |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB109516384011117260 |access-date=November 25, 2022 |issn=0099-9660}}{{cite web |last=Sung-ha |first=Park |date=August 30, 2004 |title=LG, IBM to split by end of year |url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2004/08/30/economy/LG-IBM-to-split-by-end-of-year/2462587.html |access-date=November 25, 2022 |website=[[Korea JoongAng Daily]]}}{{cite news |title=IBM, LG Electronics to End Joint Venture |work=[[Forbes]] |url=http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2004/09/14/ap1543788.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041022180259/http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2004/09/14/ap1543788.html |archive-date=October 22, 2004}}{{cite web |last=Vance |first=Ashlee |author-link=Ashlee Vance |title=South Korea slams IBM with server slush fund charges |url=https://www.theregister.com/2004/01/05/south_korea_slams_ibm/ |access-date=November 25, 2022 |website=www.theregister.com}} [[List of LG laptops#Xnote|Xnote]] was originally part of the joint venture and was sold by LG in 2012.{{cite web |title=Laptop Retrospective |url=https://laptopretrospective.com/author/laptopretrospective_azusy3/ |access-date=April 16, 2023 |website=Laptop Retrospective |language=en-US}}

Continuing a trend started in the 1990s of downsizing its operations and divesting from [[Production (economics)|commodity production]], IBM [[Acquisition of the IBM PC business by Lenovo|sold all of its personal computer business]] to Chinese technology company [[Lenovo]],{{cite web |title=Lenovo Completes Acquisition Of IBM's Personal Computing Division |url=https://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/7641.wss |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110225728/https://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/7641.wss |archive-date=November 10, 2020 |access-date=March 1, 2019 |website=03.ibm.com |publisher=IBM}} and in 2009, it acquired software company [[SPSS Inc.]] Later in 2009, IBM's [[Blue Gene]] supercomputing program was awarded the [[National Medal of Technology and Innovation]] by U.S. President [[Barack Obama]].

=== 2010s–present === In 2011, an IBM-owned artificial intelligence program called [[Watson (artificial intelligence software)|Watson]] was exhibited on ''[[Jeopardy!]]'' where it won against game-show champions Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. The company also celebrated its 100th anniversary in the same year on June 16. In 2012, IBM announced it had agreed to buy [[Kenexa]] and Texas Memory Systems,{{cite web|url=https://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/38594.wss|title=IBM Plans to Acquire Texas Memory Systems|publisher=IBM|access-date=August 17, 2012|archive-date=October 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201012043556/https://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/38594.wss|url-status=dead}} and a year later it also acquired SoftLayer Technologies, a [[web hosting service]], in a deal worth around $2 billion.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-softlayer-ibm-idUSBRE9530NT20130605|title=IBM to buy website hosting service SoftLayer|first=Jennifer|last=Saba|publisher=Reuters|date=June 5, 2013|access-date=July 1, 2017|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924181906/https://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/05/us-softlayer-ibm-idUSBRE9530NT20130605|url-status=live}} Also that year, the company designed a video surveillance system for [[Davao City]].{{Cite web|url=https://theintercept.com/2019/03/20/rodrigo-duterte-ibm-surveillance/|title=Inside the Video Surveillance Program IBM Built for Philippine Strongman Rodrigo Duterte|first1=George|last1=Joseph|date=March 20, 2019|website=The Intercept|access-date=January 17, 2020|archive-date=January 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210104104906/https://theintercept.com/2019/03/20/rodrigo-duterte-ibm-surveillance/|url-status=live}}

In 2014, IBM announced it would sell its [[x86]] server division to Lenovo for $2.1 billion{{cite press release|publisher=Reuters|date=September 29, 2014|title=Lenovo says $2.1 billion IBM x86 server deal to close on Wednesday|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lenovo-ibm-deals-idUSKCN0HO08N20140929|access-date=July 1, 2017|archive-date=November 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117105338/https://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/29/us-lenovo-ibm-deals-idUSKCN0HO08N20140929|url-status=live}} while continuing to offer [[Power ISA]]-based servers.{{cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/lenovo-finalises-acquisition-of-ibms-x86-server-business/ |title=Lenovo finalises acquisition of IBM's x86 server business |work=ZDNet |first=Aimee |last=Chanthadavong |date=September 29, 2014 |access-date=October 5, 2024}} Also that year, IBM began announcing several major partnerships with other companies, including [[Apple Inc.]],{{cite web |title=Apple + IBM |url=https://www.ibm.com/mobilefirst/us/en/?lnk=ushpls1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055744/https://www.ibm.com/mobilefirst/us/en/?lnk=ushpls1 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=July 18, 2014 |website=ibm.com |publisher=IBM}}{{cite web |last1=Etherington |first1=Darrell |date=July 15, 2014 |title=Apple Teams Up With IBM For Huge, Expansive Enterprise Push |url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/07/15/apple-teams-up-with-ibm-for-huge-expansive-enterprise-push/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201215222753/https://techcrunch.com/2014/07/15/apple-teams-up-with-ibm-for-huge-expansive-enterprise-push/ |archive-date=December 15, 2020 |access-date=July 18, 2014 |website=marketbusinessnews.com |publisher=Tech Crunch}} Twitter,{{cite web |last=Nordqvist |first=Christian |date=November 2, 2014 |title=Landmark IBM Twitter partnership to help businesses make decisions |url=https://marketbusinessnews.com/landmark-ibm-twitter-partnership-help-businesses-make-decisions/37093 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112012816/https://marketbusinessnews.com/landmark-ibm-twitter-partnership-help-businesses-make-decisions/37093/ |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |access-date=November 2, 2014 |publisher=Market Business News}} Facebook,{{cite web|last1=Ha|first1=Anthony|title=IBM Announces Marketing Partnership With Facebook|date=May 6, 2015 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/05/05/ibm-partners-with-facebook/|publisher=TechCrunch|access-date=August 13, 2016|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108103944/https://techcrunch.com/2015/05/05/ibm-partners-with-facebook/|url-status=live}} [[Tencent]],{{cite news|last1=Kyung-Hoon|first1=Kim|title=Tencent teams up with IBM to offer business software over the cloud|date=November 3, 2014|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tencent-ibm-deals-idUSKBN0IK0Q320141103|work=Reuters|access-date=August 13, 2016|archive-date=October 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023220332/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tencent-ibm-deals-idUSKBN0IK0Q320141103|url-status=live}} [[Cisco]],{{cite web|last1=Vanian|first1=Jonathan|title=Cisco and IBM's New Partnership Is a Lot About Talk|url=https://fortune.com/2016/06/30/cisco-ibm-chat-work-collaboration/|publisher=Fortune|access-date=August 13, 2016|archive-date=October 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027204802/https://fortune.com/2016/06/30/cisco-ibm-chat-work-collaboration/|url-status=live}} [[UnderArmour]],{{cite web|last1=Terdiman|first1=Daniel|title=IBM, Under Armour Team Up To Bring Cognitive Computing To Fitness Apps|work=Fast Company |date=January 6, 2016|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3055148/ibm-under-armour-team-up-to-bring-cognitive-computing-to-fitness-apps|access-date=August 13, 2016|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108114905/https://www.fastcompany.com/3055148/ibm-under-armour-team-up-to-bring-cognitive-computing-to-fitness-apps|url-status=live}} [[Box (company)|Box]],{{cite web|last1=Franklin|first1=Curtis Jr.|title=IBM, Box Cloud Partnership: What It Means|date=June 26, 2015|url=https://www.informationweek.com/cloud/cloud-storage/ibm-box-cloud-partnership-what-it-means/a/d-id/1321059|publisher=Information Week|access-date=August 13, 2016|archive-date=November 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121231350/https://www.informationweek.com/cloud/cloud-storage/ibm-box-cloud-partnership-what-it-means/a/d-id/1321059|url-status=live}} [[Microsoft]],{{cite web|last1=Weinberger|first1=Matt|title=Microsoft just made a deal with IBM – and Apple should be nervous|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-ibm-surface-partnership-2016-7|publisher=Business Insider|access-date=August 13, 2016|archive-date=August 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809100141/https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-ibm-surface-partnership-2016-7|url-status=live}} [[VMware]],{{cite web|last1=Forrest|first1=Conner|title=VMware and SugarCRM expand partnerships with IBM, make services available on IBM Cloud|date=June 14, 2016|url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/vmware-and-sugarcrm-expand-partnerships-with-ibm-make-services-available-on-ibm-cloud/|publisher=Tech Republic|access-date=August 13, 2016|archive-date=August 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823095633/https://www.techrepublic.com/article/vmware-and-sugarcrm-expand-partnerships-with-ibm-make-services-available-on-ibm-cloud/|url-status=live}} [[Computer Sciences Corporation|CSC]],{{cite web|last1=Taft|first1=Darryl|title=IBM, CSC Expand Their Cloud Deal to the Mainframe|date=July 25, 2016|publisher=eWeek|url=https://www.eweek.com/cloud/ibm-csc-expand-their-cloud-deal-to-the-mainframe.html|access-date=August 13, 2016}} [[Macy's]],{{cite web|last1=Taft|first1=Darryl|title=Macy's Taps IBM, Satisfi for In-Store Shopping Companion|date=July 22, 2016|url=https://www.eweek.com/database/macys-taps-ibm-satisfi-for-in-store-shopping-companion.html|publisher=eWeek|access-date=August 13, 2016}} [[Sesame Workshop]],{{cite web|last1=Toppo|first1=Greg|title=Sesame Workshop, IBM partner to use Watson for preschoolers|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/04/27/sesame-workshop-ibm-partner-use-watson-preschoolers/83563342/|publisher=USA Today|access-date=August 13, 2016|archive-date=October 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201015013059/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/04/27/sesame-workshop-ibm-partner-use-watson-preschoolers/83563342/|url-status=live}} the parent company of [[Sesame Street]], and [[Salesforce.com]].{{cite web|last=Nusca|first=Andrea|title=IBM, Salesforce Strike Global Partnership on Cloud, AI|url=https://fortune.com/2017/03/06/ibm-salesforce-partnership-ai/|publisher=Fortune|access-date=March 7, 2017|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111235241/https://fortune.com/2017/03/06/ibm-salesforce-partnership-ai/|url-status=live}}

In 2015, its chip division transitioned to a [[Fabless manufacturing|fabless]] model with [[semiconductors]] design, offloading manufacturing to [[GlobalFoundries]].{{cite web |title=GlobalFoundries completes IBM chip acquisition {{!}} bit-tech.net |url=https://bit-tech.net/news/tech/cpus/glofo-ibm-acquisition-complete/1/ |access-date=August 31, 2024 |website=bit-tech.net}}

In 2015, IBM announced three major acquisitions: Merge Healthcare for $1 billion,{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2015-08-06/ibm-buys-merge-healthcare-to-boost-watson-health-cloud|work=Bloomberg|title=IBM Buys Merge Healthcare to Boost Watson Health Cloud|date=August 6, 2015|access-date=March 7, 2017|archive-date=September 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925220133/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2015-08-06/ibm-buys-merge-healthcare-to-boost-watson-health-cloud|url-status=live}} data storage vendor [[Cleversafe Inc.|Cleversafe]], and all digital assets from [[The Weather Company]],{{cite news |last=Goldman |first=David |date=October 28, 2015 |title=IBM Buys Digital Part of The Weather Company |url=https://money.cnn.com/2015/10/28/technology/ibm-weather-channel/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230220517/https://money.cnn.com/2015/10/28/technology/ibm-weather-channel/index.html |archive-date=December 30, 2020 |access-date=November 27, 2019 |work=CNN Money}} including [[Weather.com]] and [[The Weather Channel]] mobile app.{{cite news|title=IBM Agrees to Acquire Weather Channel's Digital Assets|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-28/ibm-agrees-to-acquire-weather-channel-s-digital-assets|access-date=October 28, 2015|work=Bloomberg|archive-date=October 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013172810/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-28/ibm-agrees-to-acquire-weather-channel-s-digital-assets|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=IBM to Acquire the Weather Company|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/29/technology/ibm-to-acquire-the-weather-company.html|access-date=October 28, 2015|work=The New York Times|date=October 28, 2015 |archive-date=December 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214191035/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/29/technology/ibm-to-acquire-the-weather-company.html|url-status=live|last1=Hardy |first1=Quentin }} Also that year, IBM employees created the film ''[[A Boy and His Atom]]'', which was the first molecule movie to tell a story. In 2016, IBM acquired video conferencing service [[Ustream]] and formed a new cloud video unit.{{cite web|title=IBM acquires Ustream, launches cloud video unit|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/01/21/ibm-acquires-ustream-launches-cloud-video-unit/79109112/|publisher=USA Today|date=January 21, 2016|access-date=August 31, 2017|archive-date=October 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201015021210/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/01/21/ibm-acquires-ustream-launches-cloud-video-unit/79109112/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ustream.tv/blog/2016/01/21/ibm-acquires-ustream-behind-the-acquisition/|title=IBM Acquires Ustream: Behind the Acquisition|first=Tilly|last=McLain|date=January 21, 2016|website=Ustream Online Video Blog|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122013620/https://www.ustream.tv/blog/2016/01/21/ibm-acquires-ustream-behind-the-acquisition/|archive-date=January 22, 2016|url-status=live|access-date=August 22, 2016}} In April 2016, it posted a 14-year low in quarterly sales.{{cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2016/04/19/investing/ibm-earnings-shrinking-14-year-low/|title=Big Blue isn't so big anymore|first=Matt|last=Egan|work=CNN Money|date=April 19, 2016|access-date=April 22, 2016|archive-date=October 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031073326/https://money.cnn.com/2016/04/19/investing/ibm-earnings-shrinking-14-year-low/|url-status=live}} The following month, [[Groupon]] sued IBM accusing it of patent infringement, two months after IBM accused Groupon of patent infringement in a separate lawsuit.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ibm-groupon-idUSKCN0Y02KG|title=Groupon sues 'once-great' IBM over patent|first=Jonathan|last=Stempel|work=Reuters|date=May 9, 2016|access-date=May 9, 2016|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108202609/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ibm-groupon-idUSKCN0Y02KG|url-status=live}}

In 2016, IBM bought Truven Health Analytics for $2.6 billion. In October 2018, IBM announced its intention to acquire [[Red Hat]] for $34 billion,{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/ibm-in-advanced-talks-to-buy-red-hat-1540751279 |url-access=subscription |title=IBM to Acquire Red Hat for About $33 Billion|last1=Greene|first1=Jay|date=October 28, 2018|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=October 29, 2018|last2=McMillan|first2=Robert|language=en-US|issn=0099-9660|archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109005734/https://www.wsj.com/articles/ibm-in-advanced-talks-to-buy-red-hat-1540751279|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Hammond|first1=Ed|last2=Porter|first2=Kiel|last3=Barinka|first3=Alex|title=IBM to Acquire Linux Distributor Red Hat for $33.4 Billion |url-access=subscription |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-28/ibm-is-said-to-near-deal-to-acquire-software-maker-red-hat|newspaper=Bloomberg.com|date=October 28, 2018|access-date=October 28, 2018|archive-date=September 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200902215121/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-28/ibm-is-said-to-near-deal-to-acquire-software-maker-red-hat|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=IBM to acquire Red Hat, completely changing the cloud landscape and becoming world's #1 hybrid cloud provider |url=https://www.redhat.com/en/about/press-releases/ibm-acquire-red-hat-completely-changing-cloud-landscape-and-becoming-world%E2%80%99s-1-hybrid-cloud-provider |website=Red Hat |date=October 28, 2018 |access-date=October 28, 2018|archive-date=October 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028191024/https://www.redhat.com/en/about/press-releases/ibm-acquire-red-hat-completely-changing-cloud-landscape-and-becoming-world%E2%80%99s-1-hybrid-cloud-provider?intcmp=701f2000000RWK2AAO|url-status=live}} which was completed on July 9, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.redhat.com/en/about/press-releases/ibm-closes-landmark-acquisition-red-hat-34-billion-defines-open-hybrid-cloud-future|title=IBM Closes Landmark Acquisition of Red Hat for $34 Billion; Defines Open, Hybrid Cloud Future|website=Red Hat |date=July 9, 2019 |access-date=July 9, 2019|archive-date=December 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216104317/https://www.redhat.com/en/about/press-releases/ibm-closes-landmark-acquisition-red-hat-34-billion-defines-open-hybrid-cloud-future|url-status=live}}

In February 2020, IBM's [[John E. Kelly III|John Kelly III]] joined [[Brad Smith (American lawyer)|Brad Smith]] of [[Microsoft]] to sign a pledge with the [[Holy See|Vatican]] to ensure the ethical use and practice of [[Artificial Intelligence (AI)]].{{cite news |title=Cisco Systems joins Microsoft, IBM in Vatican pledge to ensure ethical use and development of AI |url=https://apnews.com/article/pope-ai-artificial-intelligence-cisco-microsoft-ibm-79b279570b2e7a2d945c452852a19657 |access-date=April 24, 2024 |department=Technology |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |date=April 24, 2024}}

{{anchor|Kyndryl}}IBM announced in October 2020 that it would divest the Managed Infrastructure Services unit of its Global Technology Services division into a new public company.{{cite web |title=IBM To Accelerate Hybrid Cloud Growth Strategy And Execute Spin-Off Of Market-Leading Managed Infrastructure Services Unit |url=https://newsroom.ibm.com/2020-10-08-IBM-To-Accelerate-Hybrid-Cloud-Growth-Strategy-And-Execute-Spin-Off-Of-Market-Leading-Managed-Infrastructure-Services-Unit |date=October 8, 2020 |publisher=IBM Corporation |access-date=October 10, 2020 |archive-date=January 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107220744/https://newsroom.ibm.com/2020-10-08-IBM-To-Accelerate-Hybrid-Cloud-Growth-Strategy-And-Execute-Spin-Off-Of-Market-Leading-Managed-Infrastructure-Services-Unit |url-status=live }} The new company, [[Kyndryl]], will have 90,000 employees, 4,600 clients in 115 countries, with an order backlog of $60 billion.{{cite news |last1=Vengattil |first1=Munsif |title=IBM to break up 109-year old company to focus on cloud growth |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/ibm-divestiture/update-5-ibm-to-break-up-109-year-old-company-to-focus-on-cloud-growth-idUSL4N2GZ28Q |date=October 9, 2020 |work=Reuters |access-date=October 10, 2020 |archive-date=October 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201015101518/https://www.reuters.com/article/ibm-divestiture/update-5-ibm-to-break-up-109-year-old-company-to-focus-on-cloud-growth-idUSL4N2GZ28Q |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Goodwin |first1=Jazmin |title=IBM spins off a quarter of the company to focus on the cloud |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/08/tech/ibm-hybrid-cloud/index.html |date=October 8, 2020 |publisher=CNN Business |access-date=October 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126022525/https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/08/tech/ibm-hybrid-cloud/index.html |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=Bursztynsky |first=Jessica |title=IBM shares rise on plans to spin off its IT infrastructure unit and focus on the cloud business |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/08/ibm-shares-surge-on-plans-to-spin-off-unit-into-separate-publicly-traded-company-.html |date=October 8, 2020 |publisher=CNBC |access-date=October 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111073437/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/08/ibm-shares-surge-on-plans-to-spin-off-unit-into-separate-publicly-traded-company-.html |url-status=live}} IBM's spin-off was greater than any of its previous divestitures, and welcomed by investors.{{cite news |first1=Asa |last1=Fitch |first2=Dave |last2=Sebastian |title=IBM to Spin Off Services Unit to Accelerate Cloud-Computing Pivot |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/ibm-to-spin-off-managed-infrastructure-services-unit-into-a-public-company-11602156618 |url-access=subscription |date=October 8, 2020 |publisher=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=October 10, 2020 |archive-date=January 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106020856/https://www.wsj.com/articles/ibm-to-spin-off-managed-infrastructure-services-unit-into-a-public-company-11602156618 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=Bendor-Samuel |first=Peter |title=IBM Splits Into Two Companies |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterbendorsamuel/2020/10/09/ibm-splits-into-two-companies/ |date=October 9, 2020 |work=Forbes |access-date=October 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129064511/https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterbendorsamuel/2020/10/09/ibm-splits-into-two-companies/#107aba5b56e6 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=Moorhead |first=Patrick |title=IBM Spinning Off Infrastructure Managed Services Group To Focus On Cloud Is A Good Move |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickmoorhead/2020/10/09/ibm-spinning-off-infrastructure-managed-services-group-to-focus-on-cloud-is-a-good-move/ |url-access=subscription |date=October 9, 2020 |work=Forbes |access-date=October 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109070537/https://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickmoorhead/2020/10/09/ibm-spinning-off-infrastructure-managed-services-group-to-focus-on-cloud-is-a-good-move/#22fa705f235a |url-status=live}} IBM appointed Martin Schroeter, who had been IBM's CFO from 2014 through the end of 2017, as CEO of Kyndryl.{{cite news |url=https://siliconangle.com/2021/01/07/ibm-names-martin-schroeter-ceo-19b-newco-services-spinoff/ |title=IBM names Martin Schroeter as CEO of $19B NewCo services spinoff |first=Maria |last=Deutscher |work=SiliconANGLE |date=January 7, 2021 |access-date=February 23, 2021 |archive-date=January 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111033317/https://siliconangle.com/2021/01/07/ibm-names-martin-schroeter-ceo-19b-newco-services-spinoff/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://cio.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/corporate-news/ibm-names-former-financial-chief-martin-schroeter-as-head-of-new-it-infrastructure-services-company/80164456 |title=IBM names former financial chief Martin Schroeter as head of new IT infrastructure services company |work=[[The Economic Times]] |agency=[[Reuters]] |date=January 8, 2021 |access-date=February 23, 2021 |archive-date=June 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614003803/https://cio.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/corporate-news/ibm-names-former-financial-chief-martin-schroeter-as-head-of-new-it-infrastructure-services-company/80164456 |url-status=live}}

In 2021, IBM announced the acquisition of the enterprise software company [[Turbonomic]] for $1.5 billion.{{cite news |date=April 30, 2021 |title=IBM to Acquire Software Provider Turbonomic for Over $1.5 Billion |url=https://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/ibm-turbonomic-software-cloud-platform-usd-1-5-billion-business-enterprise-2425049 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501170347/https://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/ibm-turbonomic-software-cloud-platform-usd-1-5-billion-business-enterprise-2425049 |archive-date=May 1, 2021 |access-date=May 1, 2021 |work=NDTV Gadgets 360 |agency=Reuters}} In January 2022, IBM announced it would sell [[IBM Watson Health|Watson Health]] to private equity firm [[Francisco Partners]].{{cite news |last=Condon |first=Stephanie |date=January 21, 2022 |title=IBM sells Watson Health assets to investment firm Francisco Partners |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/ibm-sells-watson-health-assets-to-investment-firm-francisco-partners/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121180824/https://www.zdnet.com/article/ibm-sells-watson-health-assets-to-investment-firm-francisco-partners/ |archive-date=January 21, 2022 |access-date=January 21, 2022 |work=[[ZDNet]]}}

On March 7, 2022, a few days after the start of the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]], IBM CEO Arvind Krishna announced that "we have suspended all business in Russia". All Russian articles were also removed from the IBM website.{{cite web |last=Krishna |first=Arvind |title=Update on Our Actions: War in Ukraine |url=https://newsroom.ibm.com/Update-on-our-actions-War-in-Ukraine |publisher=IBM |date=March 7, 2022 |access-date=March 7, 2022}} On June 7, Krishna announced that IBM would carry out an "orderly wind-down" of its operations in Russia.{{cite news |title=IBM finally shutters Russian operations, lays off staff |url=https://www.theregister.com/2022/06/07/ibm_russia_closes/ |publisher=The Register |date=June 7, 2022}}

In late 2022, IBM started a collaboration with new Japanese manufacturer [[Rapidus]],{{cite web |date=December 12, 2023 |title=IBM and Rapidus Form Strategic Partnership to Build Advanced Semiconductor Technology and Ecosystem in Japan |url=https://newsroom.ibm.com/2022-12-12-IBM-and-Rapidus-Form-Strategic-Partnership-to-Build-Advanced-Semiconductor-Technology-and-Ecosystem-in-Japan |website=IBM Newsroom |language=en-US}} which led GlobalFoundries to file a lawsuit against IBM the following year.{{cite web |date=April 20, 2023 |title=GlobalFoundries sues IBM, says trade secrets were unlawfully given to Japan's Rapidus |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/20/globalfoundries-sues-ibm-says-unlawfully-gave-rapidus-trade-secrets.html |publisher=CNBC}}

In 2023, IBM acquired Manta Software Inc. to complement its data and A.I. governance capabilities for an undisclosed amount.{{cite web |last=McDowell |first=Steve |title=IBM Extends Watson.x Governance & Compliance with Manta Acquisition |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevemcdowell/2023/10/24/ibm-extends-watsonx-governance--compliance-with-manta-acquisition/ |access-date=October 24, 2023 |website=Forbes}} On November 16, 2023, IBM suspended ads on Twitter after ads were found next to pro-Nazi content.{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/ibm-suspends-ads-x-after-corporate-ads-appeared-next-pro-nazi-content-2023-11-16/ |title=IBM suspends ads on X after corporate ads appeared next to pro-Nazi content|date=November 17, 2023 |publisher=Reuters |first1=Yuvraj |last1=Malik |first2=David |last2=Gaffen |editor-first1=Lisa |editor-last1=Shumaker |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231206115339/https://www.reuters.com/technology/ibm-suspends-ads-x-after-corporate-ads-appeared-next-pro-nazi-content-2023-11-16/ |archive-date=December 6, 2023}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/17/business/dealbook/x-musk-tiktok-antisemitism-social-media.html|title=Advertisers Push Back at Social Media Firms over Antisemitism|work=The New York Times|date=November 17, 2023 |last1=Sorkin |first1=Andrew Ross |last2=Mattu |first2=Ravi |last3=Warner |first3=Bernhard |last4=Kessler |first4=Sarah |last5=de la Merced |first5=Michael J. |last6=Hirsch |first6=Lauren |last7=Walt |first7=Vivienne |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117031136/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/17/business/dealbook/x-musk-tiktok-antisemitism-social-media.html |archive-date= January 17, 2024 }}

In August 2023, IBM agreed to sell The Weather Company to Francisco Partners for an undisclosed sum.{{cite web|title=IBM selling The Weather Channel and the rest of its weather business|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/22/ibm-sells-the-weather-channel-and-the-rest-of-its-weather-business.html|website=[[CNBC]]|last=Field|first=Hayden|date=August 22, 2023|access-date=August 22, 2023}} The sale was finalized on February 1, 2024,{{cite press release|title=Francisco Partners Completes Acquisition of The Weather Company |url=https://www.franciscopartners.com/media/francisco-partners-completes-acquisition-of-the-weather-company |access-date=February 24, 2024 |publisher=Francisco Partners |date=February 1, 2024}} and the price was disclosed as $1.1 billion, with $750 million in cash, $100 million deferred over seven years, and $250 million in contingent consideration.{{cite web |title=FORM 10-Q FOR THE QUARTER ENDED JUNE 30, 2024, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/51143/000005114324000039/ibm-20240630.htm |access-date=January 20, 2025 |website=www.sec.gov}}

In December 2023, IBM announced it would acquire [[Software AG]]'s StreamSets and [[webMethods]] platforms for €2.13 billion ($2.33 billion).{{cite web |date=December 18, 2023 |title=IBM to buy Software AG's enterprise integration platforms for $2.3 billion |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ibm-buy-software-ags-enterprise-073610897.html |agency=Reuters |first1=Shivani |last1=Tanna |first2=Emma-Victoria |last2=Farr |editor-first1=Rashmi |editor-last1=Aich |editor-first2=Ed |editor-last2=Osmond |access-date=December 18, 2023 |website=Yahoo Finance |language=en-US}}

In June 2025, IBM was named by a UN expert report as one of several companies "central to [[Israel]]'s [[Israeli intelligence community|surveillance apparatus]] and the [[Gaza war|ongoing Gaza destruction]]."{{Cite news |last=Farge |first=Emma |date=July 1, 2025 |title='Lucrative' business deals help sustain Israel's Gaza campaign, UN expert says |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/lucrative-business-deals-help-sustain-israels-gaza-campaign-un-expert-says-2025-07-01/ |access-date=July 1, 2025 |work=Reuters |language=en}}{{cite web | title=Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 (Advance edited version) | website=OHCHR | date=June 16, 2025 | url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/country-reports/ahrc5923-economy-occupation-economy-genocide-report-special-rapporteur | access-date=July 8, 2025}}

On December 8, 2025, IBM announced a deal to acquire data-infrastructure company [[Confluent]] for approximately $11 billion. The deal closed in March 2026 and was expected to help further advance the company's interests in AI.{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Lauren |date=2025-12-08 |title=Exclusive {{!}} IBM Strikes $11 Billion Deal for Confluent |url=https://www.wsj.com/business/deals/ibm-nears-roughly-11-billion-deal-for-confluent-276f52d8 |access-date=2025-12-08 |website=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Lin |first=Belle |date=2026-03-17 |title=IBM Closes $11 Billion Deal for Confluent |url=https://www.wsj.com/cio-journal/ibm-closes-11-billion-deal-for-confluent-13fcbea0 |access-date=2026-03-17 |website=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US}}

== Corporate affairs ==

=== Business trends === IBM's market capitalization was valued at over $153 billion as of May 2024.{{Cite web |title=IBM Market Cap 2010–2023 {{!}} IBM |url=https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/IBM/ibm/market-cap |access-date=May 15, 2024 |website=Macrotrends |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240515200428/https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/IBM/ibm/market-cap |archive-date= May 15, 2024 }} Despite its relative decline within the technology sector,{{cite web |last=Schofield |first=Jack |author-link=Jack Schofield (journalist) |date=January 21, 2018 |title=IBM shows growth after 22 straight quarters of declining revenues, but has it turned the corner? |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/ibm-shows-growth-after-22-straight-quarters-of-declining-revenues-but-has-it-turned-the-corner/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230310020412/https://www.zdnet.com/article/ibm-shows-growth-after-22-straight-quarters-of-declining-revenues-but-has-it-turned-the-corner/ |archive-date=March 10, 2023 |work=ZDNET |publisher=Ziff-Davis}} IBM remains the seventh largest technology company by revenue, and 67th [[List of largest companies in the United States by revenue|largest overall company by revenue in the United States]]. IBM ranked No. 38 on the 2020 [[Fortune 500]] rankings of the largest United States corporations by total revenue.{{Cite web |title=Fortune 500 |url=https://fortune.com/fortune500/2020/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201231221341/https://fortune.com/fortune500/ |archive-date=December 31, 2020 |access-date=April 29, 2021 |website=Fortune}} In 2014, IBM was accused of using "financial engineering" to hit its quarterly earnings targets rather than investing for the longer term.{{Cite news |last=Sorkin |first=Andrew Ross |date=October 20, 2014 |title=The Truth About IBM's Buybacks |url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/10/20/the-truth-hidden-by-ibms-buybacks/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410173205/https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/10/20/the-truth-hidden-by-ibms-buybacks |archive-date=April 10, 2021 |access-date=April 29, 2021 |work=DealBook}}{{Cite news |last=Saft |first=James |date=October 21, 2014 |title=IBM and the financial engineering economy: James Saft |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-markets-saft-idUSKCN0IA1II20141021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429180850/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-markets-saft-idUSKCN0IA1II20141021 |archive-date=April 29, 2021 |access-date=April 29, 2021 |publisher=Reuters}}{{Cite news |date=October 8, 2020 |title=Boring IBM Just Got a Lot More Interesting |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-10-08/bm-spinoff-and-focus-on-cloud-and-red-hat-is-smart |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429180850/https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-10-08/bm-spinoff-and-focus-on-cloud-and-red-hat-is-smart |archive-date=April 29, 2021 |access-date=April 29, 2021 |work=Bloomberg.com}} In 2018, IBM along with 91 additional [[Fortune 500|''Fortune'' 500]] companies had "paid an effective federal tax rate of 0% or less" as a result of the [[Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017]].{{cite news |last=Pound |first=Jesse |date=December 16, 2019 |title=These 91 companies paid no federal taxes in 2018 |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/16/these-91-fortune-500-companies-didnt-pay-federal-taxes-in-2018.html |access-date=March 1, 2025 |publisher=[[CNBC]]}}

The key trends of IBM are (as at the financial year ending December 31):{{cite web |title=IBM Fundamentalanalyse {{!}} KGV {{!}} Kennzahlen |url=https://www.boerse.de/fundamental-analyse/IBM-Aktie/US4592001014 |access-date=April 9, 2024 |website=boerse.de |language=de}}{{cite web |title=IBM 2008-2016 |url=https://www.boerse.de/fundamental-analyse/IBM-Aktie/US4592001014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903204737/https://www.boerse.de/fundamental-analyse/IBM-Aktie/US4592001014 |archive-date=September 3, 2017 |access-date=April 9, 2024 |website=boerse.de |language=de}}

{| class="wikitable " style="text-align: center" !Year !Revenue(US$ bn) !Net income(US$ bn) !Employees |- |2014 |92.7 |12.0 |379,592 |- |2015 |81.7 |13.1 |377,757 |- |2016 |79.9 |11.8 |380,300 |- |2017 |79.1 |5.7 |366,600 |- |2018 |79.5 |8.7 |350,600 |- |2019 |77.1 |9.4 |352,600 |- |2020 |73.6 |5.5 |345,900 |- |2021{{efn|IBM's financial statements from the 2021 annual report have adjusted revenue, income numbers, employee count for the previous years to account for discontinued operations related to the separation of [[Kyndryl]].}} |57.3 |5.7 |282,100 |- |2022 |60.5 |1.6 |288,300 |- |2023 |61.8 |7.5 |282,200 |- |2024 |62.8 |6.0 |270,300 |}

===Board and shareholders=== {{See also|List of IBM CEOs|}}

The company's 15-member board of directors are responsible for overall corporate management and includes the current or former CEOs of [[Anthem (company)|Anthem]], [[Dow Chemical Company|Dow Chemical]], [[Johnson and Johnson]], [[Royal Dutch Shell]], [[United Parcel Service|UPS]], and [[The Vanguard Group|Vanguard]] as well as the president of [[Cornell University]] and a retired [[Admiral (United States)|U.S. Navy admiral]].{{cite web |date=March 9, 2020 |title=Board of Directors |url=https://www.ibm.com/investor/governance/board-of-directors.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708010734/https://www.ibm.com/investor/governance/board-of-directors.html |archive-date=July 8, 2020 |access-date=March 11, 2020 |publisher=IBM}} Vanguard Group is the largest shareholder of IBM and as of March 31, 2023, held 15.7% of total shares outstanding.{{Cite web |title=International Business Machines Corporation Common Stock (IBM) Institutional Holdings |url=https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/stocks/ibm/institutional-holdings |website=Nasdaq}}

In 2011, IBM became the first technology company [[Warren Buffett]]'s [[holding company]] [[Berkshire Hathaway]] invested in.{{cite news |last1=McFarland |first1=Matt |title=Warren Buffett never liked tech stocks. So why does he own Apple? |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2016/05/16/warren-buffett-never-liked-tech-stocks-so-why-does-he-own-apple/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108103122/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2016/05/16/warren-buffett-never-liked-tech-stocks-so-why-does-he-own-apple/ |archive-date=November 8, 2020 |access-date=August 11, 2016 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}} Initially he bought 64 million shares costing $10.5 billion. Over the years, Buffett increased his IBM holdings, but by the end of 2017 had reduced them by 94.5% to 2.05 million shares; by May 2018, he was completely out of IBM.{{cite web |last=Belvedere |first=Matthew J. |date=May 4, 2018 |title=Warren Buffett says Berkshire Hathaway has sold completely out of IBM |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/04/warren-buffett-says-berkshire-hathaway-has-sold-completely-out-of-ibm.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504195836/https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/04/warren-buffett-says-berkshire-hathaway-has-sold-completely-out-of-ibm.html |archive-date=May 4, 2018 |access-date=May 4, 2018 |publisher=CNBC}}

=== Headquarters and offices === {{see also|List of IBM facilities}} [[File:IBM Beijing, Pangu Plaza.jpg|thumb|Pangu Plaza, one of IBM's offices in Beijing, China]] IBM is headquartered in [[Armonk, New York]], a community {{convert|37|mi}} north of Midtown Manhattan.{{cite web|url=https://www.ibm.com/contact/us/en/|title=Contact Us|publisher=IBM|access-date=October 20, 2009|archive-date=December 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230043253/https://www.ibm.com/contact/us/en/|url-status=live}} A nickname for the company is the "'''Colossus of Armonk'''".{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/01/09/business/dominance-ended-ibm-fights-back.html | title=Dominance Ended, I.B.M. Fights Back | work=The New York Times | date=January 9, 1982 | access-date=January 2, 2015 | author=Salmans, Sandra | archive-date=August 27, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200827213057/https://www.nytimes.com/1982/01/09/business/dominance-ended-ibm-fights-back.html | url-status=live }} Its principal building, referred to as CHQ, is a {{convert|283000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} glass and stone edifice on a {{convert|25|acre|adj=on}} parcel amid a 432-acre former apple orchard the company purchased in the mid-1950s.{{cite web|url=https://partners.nytimes.com/library/cyber/week/091797ibm.html|title=IBM's New Headquarters Reflects A Change in Corporate Style|first=Laurence|last=Zuckerman|date=September 17, 1997|website=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=August 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305201259/https://partners.nytimes.com/library/cyber/week/091797ibm.html|archive-date=March 5, 2016|url-status=live}} There are two other IBM buildings within walking distance of CHQ: the North Castle office, which previously served as IBM's headquarters; and the Louis V. Gerstner, Jr., Center for Learning{{cite web|url=https://www.ibm.com/blogs/think/2018/10/lvg-learning-center/|title=On the Dedication of the Louis V. Gerstner, Jr., Center for Learning – THINK Blog|date=October 2, 2018|publisher=IBM|access-date=October 2, 2018|archive-date=August 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200831213458/https://www.ibm.com/blogs/think/2018/10/lvg-learning-center/|url-status=live}} (formerly known as IBM Learning Center (ILC)), a resort hotel and training center, which has 182 guest rooms, 31 meeting rooms, and various amenities.{{cite web|title=Property Overview|url=https://www.ibmlearningcenter.com/property-overview/property-overview.asp|publisher=Dolce Hotels and Resorts|access-date=August 12, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917145017/https://www.ibmlearningcenter.com/property-overview/property-overview.asp|archive-date=September 17, 2016}}

IBM operates in 174 countries {{as of|2016|lc=y}}, with mobility centers in smaller market areas and major campuses in the larger ones. In New York City, IBM has several offices besides CHQ, including the [[IBM Watson]] headquarters at [[Astor Place]] in Manhattan. Outside of New York, major campuses in the United States include [[Austin, Texas]]; [[Research Triangle Park|Research Triangle Park (Raleigh-Durham), North Carolina]]; [[IBM Rochester|Rochester, Minnesota]]; and [[IBM Research - Almaden|Silicon Valley, California]].

IBM's real estate holdings are varied and globally diverse. Towers occupied by IBM include [[1250 René-Lévesque]] (Montreal, Canada) and [[One Atlantic Center]] (Atlanta, Georgia, US). In Beijing, China, IBM occupies [[Pangu Plaza]],{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapid=5663141|title=Company Overview of IBM China Company Limited|website=Bloomberg|access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-date=June 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626145229/https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/0347735D:CH|url-status=live}} the city's seventh tallest building and overlooking [[Beijing National Stadium|Beijing National Stadium ("Bird's Nest")]], home to the [[2008 Summer Olympics]].

[[IBM India|IBM India Private Limited]] is the Indian subsidiary of IBM, which is headquartered at [[Bangalore]], Karnataka. It has facilities in [[Coimbatore]], [[Chennai]], [[Kochi]], [[Ahmedabad]], [[Delhi]], [[Kolkata]], [[Mumbai]], [[Pune]], [[Gurugram]], [[Noida]], [[Bhubaneshwar]], [[Surat]], [[Visakhapatnam]], [[Hyderabad]], [[Bangalore]] and [[Jamshedpur]].

Other notable buildings include the [[IBM Rome Software Lab]] (Rome, Italy), [[Hursley House]] (Winchester, UK), [[330 North Wabash]] (Chicago, Illinois, United States), the [[Cambridge Scientific Center]] (Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States), the [[IBM Toronto Software Lab]] (Toronto, Canada), the IBM Building, Johannesburg (Johannesburg, South Africa), the [[IBM Building (Seattle)]] (Seattle, Washington, United States), the [[IBM Hakozaki Facility]] (Tokyo, Japan), the [[IBM Yamato Facility]] (Yamato, Japan), the [[IBM Canada Head Office Building]] (Ontario, Canada) and the Watson IoT Headquarters{{cite web|url=https://www.ibm.com/blogs/internet-of-things/munich-hive-innovation/|title=Watson IoT Headquarters|date=May 17, 2017|publisher=IBM|access-date=October 6, 2018|archive-date=October 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201012033836/https://www.ibm.com/blogs/internet-of-things/munich-hive-innovation/|url-status=live}} (Munich, Germany). Defunct IBM campuses include the [[IBM Somers Office Complex]] (Somers, New York), [[Spango Valley#The IBM Years|Spango Valley]] (Greenock, Scotland), and [[Tour Descartes]] (Paris, France). The company's contributions to industrial architecture and design include works by [[Marcel Breuer]], [[Eero Saarinen]], [[Ludwig Mies van der Rohe]], [[I.M. Pei]] and [[Ricardo Legorreta]]. Van der Rohe's building in Chicago was recognized with the 1990 [[Honor Award]] from the [[National Building Museum]].{{cite news|title=In the IBM Honoring the Corporation's Buildings|first=Benjamin|last=Forgey|date=March 24, 1990|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}

In 2004, concerns were raised related to IBM's contribution in its early days to pollution in its original location in [[Endicott, New York#Pollution|Endicott, New York]].{{cite news |title=Village of Endicott Environmental Investigations |url=https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/47783.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025230912/https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/47783.html |archive-date=October 25, 2020 |access-date=January 28, 2015}}{{cite news |last=Chittum |first=Samme |date=March 15, 2004 |title=In an I.B.M. Village, Pollution Fears Taint Relations With Neighbors |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C00E4DF1631F936A25750C0A9629C8B63 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808110211/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/15/nyregion/in-an-ibm-village-pollution-fears-taint-relations-with-neighbors.html |archive-date=August 8, 2020 |access-date=May 1, 2008 |publisher=New York Times Online}} IBM reported its total [[carbon footprint|CO2e emissions]] (direct and indirect) for the twelve months ending December 31, 2020, at 621 kilotons (-324 /-34.3% year-on-year).{{Cite web |title=IBM's ESG Datasheet for 2020Q4 |website=IBM |date=June 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110143340/https://www.ibm.com/ibm/environment/climate/ghg.shtml |url=https://www.ibm.com/ibm/environment/climate/ghg.shtml |archive-date=November 10, 2021 }} [https://analytics.exerica.com/App/Name/IBM/Total%20CO2e%20Emissions%20-%20Market-Based%20Scope%201%20%2b%20Scope%202/2020Q4/12 Alt URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110143343/https://analytics.exerica.com/App/Name/IBM/Total%20CO2e%20Emissions%20-%20Market-Based%20Scope%201%20+%20Scope%202/2020Q4/12 |date=November 10, 2021 }} In February 2021, IBM committed to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2030.{{cite web |url=https://newsroom.ibm.com/2021-02-16-IBM-Commits-To-Net-Zero-Greenhouse-Gas-Emissions-By-2030 |title=IBM Commits To Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions By 2030 |author= |date=February 16, 2021 |website=IBM Newsroom |publisher=IBM |access-date=July 22, 2022 |quote=IBM today announced that it will achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 to further its decades-long work to address the global climate crisis. The company will accomplish this goal by prioritizing actual reductions in its emissions, energy efficiency efforts and increased clean energy use across the more than 175 countries where it operates.}}

==Products== {{see also|List of IBM products}} [[File:Mira - Blue Gene Q at Argonne National Laboratory - Skin.jpg|thumb|right|[[Blue Gene]] was awarded the [[National Medal of Technology and Innovation]] in 2009.]] IBM has a large and diverse portfolio of products and services. {{as of|2016}}, these offerings fall into the categories of [[cloud computing]], artificial intelligence, [[commerce]], [[Data analysis|data]] and [[analytics]], [[Internet of things]] (IoT),{{cite news |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2479438,00.asp |title=IBM Investing $3B in Internet of Things |work=PCMAG |access-date=May 28, 2015 |archive-date=August 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809034048/https://www.pcmag.com/news/ibm-investing-3b-in-internet-of-things |url-status=live}} [[IT infrastructure]], [[Mobile computing|mobile]], digital workplace{{cite web |title=Digital workplace services |url=https://www.ibm.com/in-en/services/digital-workplace |website=IBM |access-date=March 27, 2020 |language=en-IN |archive-date=December 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201219085750/https://www.ibm.com/in-en/services/digital-workplace |url-status=live}} and [[cybersecurity]].{{cite web |title=IBM Products |url=https://www.ibm.com/products/en-us/?lnk=hmpr |publisher=IBM |access-date=August 13, 2016 |archive-date=June 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613073817/https://www.ibm.com/products/en-us/?lnk=hmpr |url-status=live}}

=== Hardware ===

==== Mainframe computers ==== Since 1954, IBM has sold [[mainframe computers]], the latest being the [[IBM Z|IBM z]] series. The most recent model, the [[IBM Z#IBM z17|IBM z17]], was released in 2025.{{Cite web|url=https://newsroom.ibm.com/z17|title=IBM z17: The First Mainframe Fully Engineered for the AI Age|website=IBM Newsroom}}

==== Microprocessors ==== In 1990, IBM released the [[IBM Power microprocessors|Power microprocessors]], which were designed into many console gaming systems, including [[Xbox 360]],{{cite web|url=https://www.ibm.com/chips/news/2005/1025_xbox.html|title=IBM delivers Power-based chip for Microsoft Xbox 360 worldwide launch|publisher=IBM|date=October 25, 2005|access-date=March 22, 2007|archive-date=December 17, 2006|archive-url=https://archive.today/20061217220450/http://www.ibm.com/chips/news/2005/1025_xbox.html|url-status=live}} [[PlayStation 3]], and [[Nintendo]]'s [[Wii U]].{{cite web|author=Staff Writer|url=https://mybroadband.co.za/news/gaming/26011-ibm-microprocessors-drive-the-new-nintendo-wii-u-console.html|title=IBM microprocessors drive the new Nintendo WiiU console|publisher=mybroadband.co.za|date=June 8, 2011|access-date=June 17, 2011|archive-date=September 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926031755/https://mybroadband.co.za/news/gaming/26011-ibm-microprocessors-drive-the-new-nintendo-wii-u-console.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last=Leung|first=Isaac|url=https://www.electronicsnews.com.au/news/ibms-45nm-soi-microprocessors-at-core-of-nintendo|title=IBM's 45nm SOI microprocessors at core of Nintendo Wii U|work=Electronics News|date=June 8, 2011|access-date=June 17, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714122624/https://www.electronicsnews.com.au/news/ibms-45nm-soi-microprocessors-at-core-of-nintendo|archive-date=July 14, 2011}} IBM [[Secure Blue]] is encryption hardware that can be built into microprocessors,{{cite web|url=https://asmarterplanet.com/blog/2008/11/building-a-smarter-planet.html|title=Building a smarter planet|publisher=Asmarterplanet.com|access-date=May 23, 2010|archive-date=October 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181015162756/https://www.ibm.com/us-en/|url-status=live}} and in 2014, the company revealed [[TrueNorth]], a [[neuromorphic]] [[CMOS]] [[integrated circuit]] and announced a $3 billion investment over the following five years to design a neural chip that mimics the human brain, with 10 billion neurons and 100 trillion synapses, but that uses just 1 kilowatt of power.{{cite news|title=New research initiative sees IBM commit $3 bn|url=https://www.sanfrancisconews.net/index.php/sid/223650653/scat/3a8a80d6f705f8cc/ht/New-research-initiative-sees-IBM-commit-3-bn|access-date=July 10, 2014|publisher=San Francisco News.Net|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714183807/https://www.sanfrancisconews.net/index.php/sid/223650653/scat/3a8a80d6f705f8cc/ht/New-research-initiative-sees-IBM-commit-3-bn|archive-date=July 14, 2014}} In 2016, the company launched [[Flash file system|all-flash arrays]] designed for small and midsized companies, which includes software for data compression, provisioning, and snapshots across various systems.{{cite news|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/ibm-launches-flash-arrays-for-smaller-enterprises-aims-to-court-emc-dell-customers/|title=IBM launches flash arrays for smaller enterprises, aims to court EMC, Dell customers|first=Larry|last=Dignan|work=ZDNet|date=August 23, 2016|access-date=August 23, 2016|archive-date=October 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021054406/https://www.zdnet.com/article/ibm-launches-flash-arrays-for-smaller-enterprises-aims-to-court-emc-dell-customers/|url-status=live}}

==== Quantum computing ==== [[File:IBM Q system (Fraunhofer 2).jpg|thumb|[[IBM Q System One]] (2019), the first circuit-based commercial quantum computer]] In January 2019, IBM introduced its first commercial quantum computer: [[IBM Q System One]].{{cite news|title=IBM Unveils Q System One Quantum Computer|url=https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/283427-quantum-computing-goes-commercial-with-ibms-q-system-one|work=ExtremeTech|date=January 10, 2019|access-date=February 25, 2019|archive-date=December 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201224042014/https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/283427-quantum-computing-goes-commercial-with-ibms-q-system-one|url-status=live}} In March 2020, it was announced that IBM would build Europe's first quantum data center in [[Ehningen]], [[Germany]]. The center, operated by the [[Fraunhofer Society]], was opened in 2024.{{cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/83bfbfd3-0cd6-4f3a-9d98-4996f9295984 |title=IBM to build Europe's first quantum computer in Germany |work=Financial Times |date=March 13, 2020 |access-date=July 20, 2021 |url-access=subscription |last=Miller |first=Joe |archive-date=November 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119003053/https://www.ft.com/content/83bfbfd3-0cd6-4f3a-9d98-4996f9295984 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=IBM to build its first European quantum data center |url=https://optics.org/news/14/6/16 |access-date=August 31, 2024 |website=optics.org}}{{cite web |title=First IBM Quantum Data Center in Europe Opens; Will Include IBM's Most Performant Quantum Systems |url=https://newsroom.ibm.com/2024-10-01-first-ibm-quantum-data-center-in-europe-opens-will-include-ibms-most-performant-quantum-systems |access-date=February 27, 2025 |website=IBM Newsroom |language=en-US}}

=== Software === Since 2009, IBM has owned [[SPSS]], a software package used for [[statistical analysis]] in the [[social science]]s.{{cite web |title=IBM to pay US$1.2 billion for SPSS |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/ibm-to-pay-us1-2-billion-for-spss/ |access-date=August 31, 2024 |website=ZDNET}} IBM also owned [[The Weather Company]], which provides weather forecasting and includes [[weather.com]] and [[Weather Underground (weather service)|Weather Underground]],{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/29/technology/ibm-to-acquire-the-weather-company.html |title=IBM to Acquire the Weather Company |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 28, 2015 |access-date=September 19, 2018 |archive-date=December 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214191035/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/29/technology/ibm-to-acquire-the-weather-company.html |url-status=live |last=Hardy |first=Quentin}} which was sold in 2024.

=== Cloud services === [[IBM Cloud]] includes [[infrastructure as a service]] (IaaS), [[software as a service]] (SaaS) and [[platform as a service]] (PaaS) offered through public, private and hybrid [[Cloud computing#Deployment models|cloud delivery models]]. For instance, the IBM [[Bluemix]] PaaS enables developers to quickly create complex websites on a pay-as-you-go model. IBM [[SoftLayer]] is a [[dedicated server]], [[managed hosting]] and [[cloud computing]] provider, which in 2011 reported hosting more than 81,000 servers for more than 26,000 customers.{{cite web |date=May 17, 2011 |title=Data Center Knowledge – SoftLayer: $78 Million in First Quarter Revenue |url=https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2011/05/17/softlayer-78-million-in-first-quarter-revenue/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025032153/https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2011/05/17/softlayer-78-million-in-first-quarter-revenue/ |archive-date=October 25, 2020 |access-date=August 14, 2016}} IBM also provides Cloud Data Encryption Services (ICDES), using [[cryptographic splitting]] to secure customer data.{{cite web |date=October 21, 2015 |title=Cloud computing news: Security |url=https://www.ibm.com/blogs/cloud-computing/2015/10/a-billion-reasons-you-want-to-encrypt-your-data/?S_TACT=C34409NW&S_TACT=C34409NW&S_TACT=C34409NW&S_TACT=C34409NW |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229112148/https://www.ibm.com/blogs/cloud-computing/2015/10/a-billion-reasons-you-want-to-encrypt-your-data/?S_TACT=C34409NW&S_TACT=C34409NW&S_TACT=C34409NW&S_TACT=C34409NW |archive-date=December 29, 2017 |access-date=September 23, 2016 |publisher=ibm.com}}

In May 2022, IBM announced the company had signed a multi-year Strategic Collaboration Agreement with [[Amazon Web Services]] to make a wide variety of IBM software available as a service on AWS Marketplace. Additionally, the deal includes both companies making joint investments that make it easier for companies to consume IBM's offering and integrate them with AWS, including developer training and software development for select markets.{{cite journal |date=May 13, 2022 |title=IBM steps up its cloud partnership strategy with AWS deal |url=https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/news/252518198/IBM-steps-up-its-cloud-partnership-strategy-with-AWS-deal |journal=Tech Target |access-date=May 18, 2022}}

=== Artificial intelligence === [[IBM Watson]] is a technology platform that uses [[natural language processing]] and machine learning to reveal insights from large amounts of [[unstructured data]].{{cite web|title=What is Watson?|url=https://www.ibm.com/watson/what-is-watson.html|publisher=IBM|access-date=August 13, 2016|archive-date=October 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161030080103/https://www.ibm.com/watson/what-is-watson.html|url-status=live}} Watson was debuted in 2011 on the American game show ''[[Jeopardy!]]'', where it competed against champions [[Ken Jennings]] and [[Brad Rutter]] in a three-game tournament and won. Watson has since been applied to business, healthcare, developers, and universities. For example, IBM has partnered with [[Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center]] to assist with considering treatment options for [[oncology]] patients and for doing [[melanoma]] screenings.{{cite web|title=Watson Oncology|url=https://www.mskcc.org/about/innovative-collaborations/watson-oncology|publisher=Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center|access-date=August 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013210541/https://www.mskcc.org/about/innovative-collaborations/watson-oncology|archive-date=October 13, 2016}} Several companies use Watson for call centers, either replacing or assisting customer service agents.{{cite web|last1=Upbin|first1=Bruce|title=IBM's Watson Now A Customer Service Agent, Coming To Smartphones Soon|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/bruceupbin/2013/05/21/ibms-watson-now-a-customer-service-agent-coming-to-smartphones-soon/|work=Forbes|access-date=August 13, 2016|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112041848/https://www.forbes.com/sites/bruceupbin/2013/05/21/ibms-watson-now-a-customer-service-agent-coming-to-smartphones-soon/|url-status=live}}

IBM also provides infrastructure for the [[New York City Police Department]] through their [[IBM Cognos Analytics]] to perform data visualizations of [[CompStat]] crime data.{{cite web|url=https://public.dhe.ibm.com/software/solutions/pdfs/ODB-0144-01F.pdf|title=NYPD changes the crime control equation by transforming the way it uses information|publisher=IBM Corporation|location=Road Armonk, NY|access-date=June 8, 2019|archive-date=January 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210108221903/ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/software/solutions/pdfs/ODB-0144-01F.pdf|url-status=live}}

In June 2020, IBM announced that it was exiting the facial recognition business. In a letter to congress,{{cite web |title=IBM Policy |website=IBM |url=https://www.ibm.com/policy/facial-recognition-sunset-racial-justice-reforms/}} IBM's Chief Executive Officer Arvind Krishna told lawmakers, "now is the time to begin a national dialogue on whether and how facial recognition technology should be employed by domestic law enforcement agencies."{{cite news |title=IBM exits facial recognition business, calls for police reform |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ibm-facial-recognition-idUSKBN23G01T |publisher=Reuters |date=June 9, 2020}}

In May 2023, IBM revealed [[IBM Watsonx|Watsonx]], a [[Generative AI]] toolkit that is powered by IBM's own [[IBM Granite|Granite]] models with option to use other publicly available [[Large language model|LLMs]]. Watsonx has multiple services for training and [[Fine-tuning (deep learning)|fine tuning]] models based on confidential data.{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/07/ibm-rolls-out-new-generative-ai-features-and-models/|title=IBM rolls out new generative AI features and models|first=Kyle|last=Wiggers|date=September 7, 2023|publisher=TechCrunch}} A year later, IBM [[Open source|open-sourced]] Granite code models and put them on [[Hugging Face]] for public use.{{cite news |last=Nine |first=Adrianna |date=May 7, 2024 |title=IBM Makes Granite AI Models Open-Source Under New InstructLab Platform |url=https://www.extremetech.com/computing/ibm-makes-granite-ai-models-open-source-under-new-instructlab-platform |work=[[ExtremeTech]]}} In October 2024, IBM introduced Granite 3.0, an open-source large language model designed for enterprise AI applications.{{cite web |title=IBM doubles down on open source AI with new Granite 3.0 models |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/ibm-doubles-down-on-open-source-ai-with-new-granite-3-0-models/ |access-date=November 10, 2024 |website=ZDNET}}

=== Consulting === {{main|IBM Consulting}}

With 160,000 consultants globally as of 2024, IBM is one of the ten largest consulting companies in the world, with capabilities spanning strategy and [[management consulting]], experience design, technology and [[System integration|systems integration]], and operations.{{cite web |date=September 25, 2017 |title=The 10 largest consulting firms in the world |url=https://www.consultancy.uk/news/14018/the-10-largest-consulting-firms-in-the-world |access-date=August 31, 2024 |website=www.consultancy.uk}} IBM's consulting business was valued at $20 billion, as of 2024.{{cite news |last=Mickle |first=Tripp |date=June 26, 2024 |title=The A.I. Boom Has an Unlikely Early Winner: Wonky Consultants |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/26/technology/ai-consultants.html |access-date=August 31, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

==Research== [[File:IBM Yorktown Heights.jpg|thumb|The [[Thomas J. Watson Research Center]] in [[Yorktown Heights, New York]], is one of 11 IBM research labs worldwide.]] [[File:Benoit Mandelbrot, TED 2010.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Benoit Mandelbrot]], an [[IBM Fellow]], discusses [[fractal geometry]], 2010.]] Research has been part of IBM since its founding, and its organized efforts trace their roots back to 1945, when the Watson Scientific Computing Laboratory was founded at [[Columbia University]] in New York City, converting a renovated fraternity house on Manhattan's West Side into IBM's first laboratory. Now, [[IBM Research]] constitutes the largest industrial research organization in the world, with 12 labs on 6 continents.{{cite web|url=https://www.research.ibm.com/labs/|title=IBM Research: Global labs|access-date=May 28, 2015|archive-date=December 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216184046/https://research.ibm.com/labs/|url-status=live}} IBM Research is headquartered at the [[Thomas J. Watson Research Center]] in New York, and facilities include the [[IBM Almaden Research Center|Almaden lab]] in California, Austin lab in Texas, [[IBM Research-Australia|Australia lab]] in Melbourne, [[IBM Research – Brazil|Brazil lab]] in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, China lab in Beijing and Shanghai, Ireland lab in Dublin, [[IBM Haifa Research Laboratory|Haifa lab]] in Israel, India lab in Delhi and [[Bangalore]], [[IBM Tokyo Research Laboratory|Tokyo lab]], [[IBM Zurich Research Laboratory|Zurich lab]] and Africa lab in [[Nairobi]].

In terms of investment, IBM's [[R&D]] expenditure totals several billion dollars each year. In 2012, that expenditure was approximately $6.9 billion.{{cite web|title=IBM's expenditure on research and development from 2005 to 2015 (in billion U.S. dollars)|url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/274821/ibms-expenditure-on-research-and-development-since-2005/|publisher=Statista|access-date=August 12, 2016|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111221153/https://www.statista.com/statistics/274821/ibms-expenditure-on-research-and-development-since-2005/|url-status=live}} Recent allocations have included $1 billion to create a business unit for [[IBM Watson|Watson]] in 2014, and $3 billion to create a next-gen semiconductor along with $4 billion towards growing the company's "strategic imperatives" (cloud, analytics, mobile, security, social) in 2015.{{cite web|last=Bort|first=Julie|title=Ginni Rometty just set a big goal for IBM: spending $4 billion to bring in $40 billion|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/ibm-ceo-sets-big-40-billion-goal-2015-2|publisher=Business Insider|access-date=August 12, 2016|archive-date=August 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809003358/https://www.businessinsider.com/ibm-ceo-sets-big-40-billion-goal-2015-2|url-status=live}} In 2024, IBM reported research and development expenditures of $7.48 billion, representing an increase of approximately 10.3% compared to the previous year’s expenditure of $6.78 billion.{{Cite web |title=IBM R&D spending 2024 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/274821/ibms-expenditure-on-research-and-development-since-2005/?srsltid=AfmBOoqCxNcFC5eRYFEnu5oOv9ZFvhamGeHRuFqWCtzueGwBU7t6P66i |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=Statista |language=en}}

IBM has been a leading proponent of the [[Open Source Initiative]], and began supporting [[Linux]] in 1998.{{cite web|url=https://www.ibm.com/news/1999/03/02.phtml|title=IBM launches biggest Linux lineup ever|date=March 2, 1999|publisher=IBM|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991110114228/https://www.ibm.com/news/1999/03/02.phtml|archive-date=November 10, 1999}} The company invests billions of dollars in services and software based on Linux through the IBM [[Linux Technology Center]], which includes over 300 [[Linux kernel]] developers.{{cite web|title=IBM invests in Brazil Linux Tech Center|url=https://lwn.net/Articles/185602/|date=May 24, 2006|publisher=[[LWN.net]]|first=Farrah|last=Hamid|access-date=July 21, 2016|archive-date=January 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210108225316/https://lwn.net/Articles/185602/|url-status=live}} IBM has also released code under different [[open source license|open-source license]]s, such as the [[Cross-platform|platform-independent]] [[software framework]] [[Eclipse (software)|Eclipse]] (worth approximately $40 million at the time of the donation),{{cite web|url=https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-erick.html|title=Interview: The Eclipse code donation|date=November 1, 2001|publisher=IBM|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091218093727/https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-erick.html|archive-date=December 18, 2009}} the three-sentence International Components for Unicode ([[International Components for Unicode|ICU]]) license, and the [[Java (programming language)|Java]]-based [[relational database management system]] (RDBMS) [[Apache Derby]]. IBM's [[open source]] involvement has not been trouble-free, however (see ''[[SCO v. IBM]]'').

Famous [[invention]]s and developments by IBM include: the [[automated teller machine|automated teller machine (ATM)]], [[Dynamic random-access memory|Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM)]], the [[Keypunch|electronic keypunch]], the [[swap (finance)|financial swap]], the [[floppy disk]], the [[hard disk drive]], the [[magnetic stripe card]], the [[relational model|relational database]], [[Reduced instruction set computing|RISC]], the [[Sabre (computer system)|SABRE airline reservation system]], [[SQL]], the [[Universal Product Code|Universal Product Code (UPC)]] bar code, and the [[virtual machine]]. Additionally, in 1990 company scientists used a [[scanning tunneling microscope]] to arrange 35 [[IBM (atoms)|individual xenon atoms]] to spell out the company initialism, marking the first structure assembled one atom at a time.{{cite web|url=https://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/vintage/vintage_4506VV1003.html|title=IBM Archives: "IBM" atoms|date=January 23, 2003|publisher=IBM|access-date=July 22, 2012|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111200350/https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/vintage/vintage_4506VV1003.html|url-status=dead}} A major part of IBM research is the generation of [[patents]]. Since its first patent for a traffic signaling device, IBM has been one of the world's most prolific patent sources. In 2021, the company held the record for most [[patents]] generated by a business for 29 consecutive years for the achievement.

===Patents===

As of 2021, IBM holds the record for most annual [[United States|U.S.]] [[patent]]s generated by a business for 29 consecutive years.{{cite web |last=Bajpai |first=Prableen |date=January 29, 2021 |title=Top Patent Holders of 2020 |url=https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/top-patent-holders-of-2020-2021-01-29 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130165223/https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/top-patent-holders-of-2020-2021-01-29 |archive-date=January 30, 2021 |access-date=February 2, 2021 |website=nasdaq.com |publisher=Nasdaq}}{{cite web |date=January 5, 2022 |title=2021 Top 50 US Patent Assignees |url=https://www.ificlaims.com/rankings-top-50-2021.htm |access-date=August 22, 2022 |publisher=IFI CLAIMS Patent Services}}{{cite web |last1=Gil |first1=Darío |title=Why IBM is no longer interested in breaking patent records–and how it plans to measure innovation in the age of open source and quantum computing |url=https://fortune.com/2023/01/06/ibm-patent-record-how-to-measure-innovation-open-source-quantum-computing-tech/ |website=Fortune |access-date=February 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127155828/https://fortune.com/2023/01/06/ibm-patent-record-how-to-measure-innovation-open-source-quantum-computing-tech/ |archive-date=January 27, 2023 |date=January 6, 2023 |url-status=live}}

In 2001, IBM became the first company to generate more than 3,000 patents in one year, beating this record in 2008 with over 4,000 patents. As of 2022, the company held 150,000 patents.{{Cite web |title=IBM Tops U.S. Patent List for 28th Consecutive Year with Innovations in Artificial Intelligence, Hybrid Cloud, Quantum Computing and Cyber-Security |url=https://newsroom.ibm.com/2021-01-12-IBM-Tops-U-S-Patent-List-for-28th-Consecutive-Year-with-Innovations-in-Artificial-Intelligence-Hybrid-Cloud-Quantum-Computing-and-Cyber-Security |access-date=July 14, 2023 |website=IBM Newsroom |language=en-US}} IBM has also been criticized as being a [[patent troll]].{{cite web |title=IBM Is the World's Biggest Patent Troll |url=https://www.pcmag.com/opinions/ibm-is-the-worlds-biggest-patent-troll |access-date=September 17, 2024 |website=PCMAG |date=May 4, 2016}}{{cite web |last=Mullin |first=Joe |date=January 31, 2019 |title=Stupid Patent of the Month: IBM's Software Patent on Texting and Driving |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/01/stupid-patent-month-ibms-software-patent-texting-and-driving |access-date=September 17, 2024 |website=Electronic Frontier Foundation}}{{cite web |last=Schestowitz |first=Roy |title=IBM is Acting No Better Than Patent Trolls, Preying on Smaller Companies by Suing Them With Software Patents |url=https://techrights.org/n/2024/09/17/IBM_is_Acting_No_Better_Than_Patent_Trolls_Preying_on_Smaller_C.shtml |access-date=September 17, 2024 |website=techrights.org}}

==Brand and reputation== [[File:IBM ads at JFK.jpg|thumb|IBM ads at [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]], 2013]] IBM is nicknamed ''Big Blue'' partly because of its blue logo and color scheme,{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Da1bPYRyltMC&q=big+blue+ibm&pg=PA228|title=Postphenomenology: A Critical Companion to Ihde|page=228|isbn=0-7914-6787-2|year=2006|publisher=[[State University of New York Press]]|editor-first=Evan|editor-last=Selinger|access-date=October 22, 2020|archive-date=January 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109003145/https://books.google.com/books?id=Da1bPYRyltMC&q=big+blue+ibm&pg=PA228|url-status=live}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5zAW7RntiD8C&q=big+blue+ibm&pg=PA15|title=Logos, Letterheads & Business Cards: Design for Profit|page=15|isbn=2-88046-750-0|year=2004|publisher=Rotovision|first1=Conway Lloyd|last1=Morgan|first2=Chris|last2=Foges}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and also in reference to its former ''de facto'' [[dress code]] of white shirts with blue suits.{{cite book|page=[https://archive.org/details/essentialguideto00walt/page/55 55]|title=The Essential Guide to Computing: The Story of Information Technology|url=https://archive.org/details/essentialguideto00walt|url-access=registration|quote=big blue ibm.|publisher=Prentice Hall PTR| location=Upper Saddle River, New Jersey |isbn=0-13-019469-7|first=E. Garrison|last=Walters|year=2001}} The company logo has undergone several changes over the years, with its current "8-bar" logo designed in 1972 by [[graphic designer]] [[Paul Rand]].{{cite web|url=https://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/logo/logo_8.html|title=IBM Archives|date=January 23, 2003|publisher=IBM|access-date=November 24, 2009|archive-date=January 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105150252/https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/logo/logo_8.html|url-status=dead}} It was a general replacement for a 13-bar logo, since period photocopiers did not render narrow (as opposed to tall) stripes well. Aside from the logo, IBM used [[Helvetica]] as a corporate typeface for 50 years, until it was replaced in 2017 by the custom-designed [[IBM Plex]].

IBM has a valuable brand as a result of over 100 years of operations and marketing campaigns. Since 1996, IBM has been the exclusive technology partner for the [[Masters Tournament]], one of the four [[Men's major golf championships|major championships]] in professional golf, with IBM creating the first Masters.org (1996), the first course cam (1998), the first [[iPhone]] app with live streaming (2009), and first-ever live 4K Ultra High Definition feed in the United States for a major sporting event (2016).{{cite web|last1=Clayton|first1=Ward|title=IBM and Masters Celebrate 20 Years|url=https://www.masters.com/en_US/news/articles/2016-04-02/ibm_and_masterscom_celebrate_20_years.html|publisher=Masters|access-date=August 12, 2016|archive-date=August 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808143748/https://www.masters.com/en_US/news/articles/2016-04-02/ibm_and_masterscom_celebrate_20_years.html|url-status=live}} As a result, IBM CEO [[Ginni Rometty]] became the third female member of the Master's governing body, the [[Augusta National Golf Club]].{{cite web|last=Weinman|first=Sam|title=IBM CEO Ginni Rometty is Augusta National's third female member|url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/ibm-ceo-ginni-rometty-is-augus|publisher=Golf Digest|access-date=August 12, 2016|archive-date=January 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109005244/https://www.golfdigest.com/story/ibm-ceo-ginni-rometty-is-augus|url-status=live}} IBM is also a major sponsor in professional tennis, with engagements at the [[US Open (tennis)|U.S. Open]], [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]], the Australian Open, and the French Open.{{cite web|last1=Snyder|first1=Benjamin|title=Why IBM dominates the U.S. Open|url=https://fortune.com/2015/09/01/ibm-us-open-tennis-tech/|work=Forbes|access-date=August 12, 2016|archive-date=October 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025093405/https://fortune.com/2015/09/01/ibm-us-open-tennis-tech/|url-status=live}} The company also sponsored the [[Olympic Games]] from 1960 to 2000,{{cite web|last=DiCarlo|first=Lisa|title=IBM, Olympics Part Ways After 40 Years|url=https://www.forbes.com/2000/08/23/feat.html|work=Forbes|access-date=August 12, 2016|archive-date=November 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113182036/https://www.forbes.com/2000/08/23/feat.html|url-status=live}} and the [[National Football League]] from 2003 to 2012.{{cite news|last=Jinks|first=Beth|title=IBM Ends Its NFL Sponsorship Over Difference in Views|newspaper=Bloomberg.com|date=June 5, 2012|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-06-05/ibm-ends-its-nfl-sponsorship-over-difference-in-views|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.|access-date=August 12, 2016|archive-date=August 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200828050103/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-06-05/ibm-ends-its-nfl-sponsorship-over-difference-in-views|url-status=live}} In Japan, IBM employees also have an [[American football]] team complete with pro stadium, cheerleaders and televised games, competing in the Japanese [[X-League (Japan)|X-League]] as the "[[IBM Big Blue (X-League)|Big Blue]]".{{cite web |last1=Bort |first1=Julie |title=In Japan, IBM employees have formed a football team complete with pro stadium, cheerleaders and televised games |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/ibm-employees-form-football-team-2015-5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109185713/https://www.businessinsider.com/ibm-employees-form-football-team-2015-5 |archive-date=January 9, 2021 |access-date=August 12, 2016 |publisher=Business Insider}}

==People and culture==

===Employees=== [[File:Ibmaustin designcamp.jpg|thumb|New IBM employees being welcomed to a bootcamp at IBM Austin, 2015]] [[File:Watson Jeopardy demo.jpg|thumb|Employees demonstrating [[IBM Watson]] capabilities in a [[Jeopardy!]] exhibition match on campus, 2011]] IBM is among the [[List of largest United States–based employers globally|world's largest employers]], with over 297,900 employees worldwide in 2022,{{cite web |title=Fortune 500 |url=https://fortune.com/ranking/fortune500/ |access-date=December 30, 2022 |website=Fortune}} with about 160,000 of those being [[Information technology consulting|tech consultants]].

IBM's leadership programs include [[Extreme Blue]], an internship program, and the [[IBM Fellow]] award, offered since 1963 based on technical achievement.{{cite web |date=September 7, 2007 |title=Extreme Blue web page |url=https://www-01.ibm.com/employment/us/extremeblue/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190213183610/https://www-01.ibm.com/employment/us/extremeblue/ |archive-date=February 13, 2019 |access-date=May 23, 2010 |publisher=01.ibm.com}}

==== Notable current and former employees ==== Many IBM employees have achieved notability outside of work and after leaving IBM. In business, former IBM employees include:

  • [[Tim Cook]], [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] CEO{{cite news|url=https://people.forbes.com/profile/timothy-d-cook/6607|work=Forbes|title=Timothy D. Cook Profile|access-date=November 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120518015746/https://people.forbes.com/profile/timothy-d-cook/6607|archive-date=May 18, 2012|url-status=dead}}
  • [[Ross Perot]], former [[Electronic Data Systems|EDS]] CEO and presidential candidate
  • [[John W. Thompson]], [[Microsoft]] chairman
  • [[Hasso Plattner]], [[SAP SE|SAP]] co-founder
  • [[Gideon Gartner]], [[Gartner]] founder
  • [[Lisa Su]], [[Advanced Micro Devices|AMD]] CEO{{cite web|url=https://www.amd.com/en-us/who-we-are/corporate-information/leadership/lisa-su|title=Executive Biographies – Lisa Su|publisher=Amd.com|access-date=October 10, 2014|archive-date=January 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103221544/https://www.amd.com/en-us/who-we-are/corporate-information/leadership/lisa-su|url-status=live}}
  • [[Anirudh Devgan]], [[Cadence Design Systems]] CEO{{cite web|title=Leadership Team|url=https://www.cadence.com/en_US/home/company/leadership-team.html|access-date=December 25, 2021|website=www.cadence.com |archive-date=December 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211225033256/https://www.cadence.com/en_US/home/company/leadership-team.html|url-status=live}}
  • [[Ellen Alemany]], former [[Citizens Financial Group]] CEO
  • [[Alfred Amoroso]], former [[Yahoo!]] chairman
  • [[C. Michael Armstrong]], former [[AT&T]] CEO
  • [[David T. Kearns]] and [[G. Richard Thoman]], former [[Xerox Corporation]] CEOs{{cite news|last=Kearns|first=David T|title=Crossing the Bridge: Family, Business, Education, Cancer, and the Lessons Learned|date=May 31, 2005|publisher=Meliora Press}}
  • [[Mark N. Greene]], former [[Fair Isaac Corporation]] CEO{{cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2008/02/08/markets/morningbuzz/index.htm|title=Fair Isaac CEO: FICO criticism isn't 'fair'|first=Paul R.|last=La Monica|website=CNN Money|date=February 8, 2008|access-date=December 28, 2017|archive-date=October 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022163826/https://money.cnn.com/2008/02/08/markets/morningbuzz/index.htm|url-status=live}}
  • [[Ed Iacobucci]], [[Citrix Systems]] co-founder
  • [[Brian McBride (businessman)|Brian McBride]], [[ASOS (retailer)|ASOS]] chairman
  • [[Steve Ward (businessman)|Steve Ward]], former [[Lenovo]] CEO
  • [[Kenneth Simonds]], former [[Teradata]] CEO

In government, IBM alumni include:

  • [[Patricia Roberts Harris]], former [[United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development]] and the first [[List of African American United States Cabinet Secretaries|African American]] [[List of female United States Cabinet Secretaries|woman]] to serve in the [[United States Cabinet]].{{cite book|title=Women in World History, Vol. 7: Harr-I|year=2000|publisher=Yorkin Publications|location=Waterford, CT|isbn=0-7876-4066-2|pages=14–17|last=DeLaat|first=Jacqueline|author-link=Jacqueline DeLaat|chapter=Harris, Patricia Roberts|title-link=Women in World History}}
  • [[Samuel K. Skinner]], former [[U.S. Secretary of Transportation]] and [[White House Chief of Staff]]
  • [[Mack Mattingly]], [[U.S. Senator]]
  • [[Thom Tillis]], U.S. Senator
  • [[Scott Walker (politician)|Scott Walker]], governor of [[Wisconsin]]{{cite news|last1=Miller|first1=Zeke J.|title=Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker: A 2016 Contender But Not A College Graduate|url=https://swampland.time.com/2013/11/19/wisconsin-gov-scott-walker-a-2016-contender-but-not-a-college-graduate|access-date=May 1, 2015|publisher=TIME|date=November 19, 2013|archive-date=December 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201209230121/https://swampland.time.com/2013/11/19/wisconsin-gov-scott-walker-a-2016-contender-but-not-a-college-graduate/|url-status=live}}
  • [[Vincent Obsitnik]], former U.S. ambassador to [[U.S. Ambassador to Slovakia|Slovakia]]
  • [[Arthur K. Watson]], former U.S. ambassador to [[U.S. Ambassador to France|France]]
  • [[Thomas Watson Jr.]], former U.S. ambassador to the [[U.S. Ambassador to Russia|Soviet Union]]
  • [[Todd Akin]], former [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]]{{cite web|url=https://cdm.sos.mo.gov/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/statepub&CISOPTR=99477&REC=17&CISOBOX=akin|title=Official Manual of the State of Missouri, 1993–1994|page=157}}{{dead link|date=March 2018|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}
  • [[Glenn Andrews]], former U.S. Representative
  • [[Robert Garcia (New York politician)|Robert Garcia]], former U.S. Representative
  • [[Katherine Harris]], former U.S. Representative{{cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/1617/katherine-harris|title=Katherine Harris' Biography|work=[[Project Vote Smart]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120124035354/https://www.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/1617/katherine-harris|archive-date=January 24, 2012|access-date=April 30, 2006}}
  • [[Amo Houghton]], former U.S. Representative
  • [[Jim Ross Lightfoot]], former U.S. Representative
  • [[Thomas J. Manton]], former U.S. Representative
  • [[Donald W. Riegle Jr.]], former U.S. Representative
  • [[Ed Zschau]], former U.S. Representative

Other former IBM employees include [[NASA]] astronaut [[Michael J. Massimino]], [[Canadian Astronaut Corps|Canadian astronaut]] and former [[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]] [[Julie Payette]], noted musician [[Dave Matthews]],{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/31/arts/pop-jazz-a-band-that-built-a-career-from-the-ground-up.html?pagewanted=2 |title=POP/JAZZ; A Band That Built a Career From the Ground Up |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=May 31, 1998 |access-date=October 30, 2020 |archive-date=October 10, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131010074833/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/31/arts/pop-jazz-a-band-that-built-a-career-from-the-ground-up.html?pagewanted=2 |url-status=live }} [[Harvey Mudd College]] president [[Maria Klawe]], [[Western Governors University]] president emeritus [[Robert Mendenhall]], former [[University of Kentucky]] president [[Lee T. Todd Jr.]], former [[University of Iowa]] president [[Bruce Harreld]], [[NFL]] referee [[Bill Carollo]],{{cite web|title=Board of Directors — Officers|url=https://www.naso.org/board.htm|publisher=National Association of Sports Officials|access-date=September 27, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070915040843/https://www.naso.org/board.htm|archive-date=September 15, 2007|url-status=dead}} former [[Rangers F.C.]] chairman [[John McClelland (businessman)|John McClelland]], and recipient of the [[Nobel Prize in Literature]] [[J. M. Coetzee]]. [[Thomas Watson Jr.]] also served as the [[List of national presidents of the Boy Scouts of America|11th national president]] of the [[Boy Scouts of America]].

Five IBM employees have received the Nobel Prize: [[Leo Esaki]], of the Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, N.Y., in 1973, for work in semiconductors; [[Gerd Binnig]] and [[Heinrich Rohrer]], of the Zurich Research Center, in 1986, for the [[scanning tunneling microscope]];{{cite web |date=October 15, 1986 |title=The Nobel Prize in Physics 1986 – Press Release |url=https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1986/press.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802193323/https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1986/press.html |archive-date=August 2, 2018 |access-date=January 1, 2014 |publisher=Nobel Media AB}} and [[Georg Bednorz]] and [[K. Alex Müller|Alex Müller]], also of Zurich, in 1987, for research in [[superconductivity]]. Six IBM employees have won the [[Turing Award]], including the first female recipient [[Frances E. Allen]].{{Cite journal |last=Steele |first=Guy L. |year=2011 |title=An interview with Frances E. Allen |journal=[[Communications of the ACM]] |volume=54 |page=39 |doi=10.1145/1866739.1866752 |issn=0001-0782 |s2cid=11847872 |doi-access=}} Ten [[National Medal of Technology|National Medals of Technology]] and five [[National Medal of Science|National Medals of Science]] have been awarded to IBM employees.

=== Workplace culture === Employees are often referred to as "IBMers". IBM's culture has evolved significantly over its century of operations. In its early days, a dark (or gray) suit, white shirt, and a "sincere" tie constituted the public uniform for IBM employees.{{cite book |last=Smith |first=Paul Russell |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HYvbeQLf_gEC&q=%22sincere+tie%22+ibm&pg=PA24 |title=Strategic Marketing Communications: New Ways to Build and Integrate Communications |publisher=Kogan Page |year=1999 |isbn=0-7494-2918-6 |page=24 |access-date=October 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109161210/https://books.google.com/books?id=HYvbeQLf_gEC&q=%22sincere+tie%22+ibm&pg=PA24 |archive-date=January 9, 2021 |url-status=live}} During IBM's management transformation in the 1990s, CEO [[Louis V. Gerstner Jr.]] relaxed these codes, normalizing the dress and behavior of IBM employees.{{cite web |date=January 23, 2003 |title=IBM Attire |url=https://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/waywewore/waywewore_1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814154040/https://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/waywewore/waywewore_1.html |archive-date=August 14, 2018 |access-date=May 31, 2012 |work=IBM Archives |publisher=IBM Corp.}} The company's culture has also given to different plays on the company acronym (IBM), with some saying it stands for "I've Been Moved," based on frequent relocations,{{cite web |last1=Goldman |first1=David |title=IBM stands for 'I've Been Moved' |url=https://money.cnn.com/2009/03/31/technology/ibm/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106015406/https://money.cnn.com/2009/03/31/technology/ibm/ |archive-date=January 6, 2021 |access-date=August 12, 2016 |publisher=CNN Money}} others saying it stands for "I'm By Myself" pursuant to a prevalent work-from-anywhere norm,{{cite web |title=IBM stands for "I'm by myself' for teleworkers of the blue giant |url=https://www.africanamerica.org/topic/ibm-stands-for-im-by-myself-for-teleworkers-of-the-blue-giant |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202011500/https://www.africanamerica.org/topic/ibm-stands-for-im-by-myself-for-teleworkers-of-the-blue-giant |archive-date=February 2, 2017 |access-date=August 12, 2016 |publisher=African America}} and others saying it stands for "I'm Being Mentored" in reference to the company's open door policy and encouragement for mentoring at all levels.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SyVxNfJ94pMC&q=IBM+%22I%27m+by+myself%22&pg=PT44 |title=Intelligent Mentoring |date=November 11, 2008 |publisher=IBM Press |isbn=978-0-13-700949-7 |access-date=August 12, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109164300/https://books.google.com/books?id=SyVxNfJ94pMC&q=IBM+%22I%27m+by+myself%22&pg=PT44 |archive-date=January 9, 2021 |url-status=live}} The company has traditionally resisted [[IBM and unions|labor union organizing]],{{cite journal |last=Logan |first=John |date=December 2006 |title=The Union Avoidance Industry in the United States |url=https://www.newunionism.net/library/organizing/Logan%20-%20The%20Union%20Avoidance%20Industry%20in%20the%20United%20States%20-%202006.pdf |journal=British Journal of Industrial Relations |volume=44 |issue=4 |pages=651–675 |doi=10.1111/j.1467-8543.2006.00518.x |s2cid=155066215 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817122539/https://www.newunionism.net/library/organizing/Logan%20-%20The%20Union%20Avoidance%20Industry%20in%20the%20United%20States%20-%202006.pdf |archive-date=August 17, 2016 |access-date=December 17, 2010}} although unions represent some IBM workers outside the United States.{{cite web |title=IBM Global Unions Links |url=https://www.endicottalliance.org/iwiswebsite/iwis-ibmgua-links.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014040215/https://www.endicottalliance.org/iwiswebsite/iwis-ibmgua-links.htm |archive-date=October 14, 2013 |access-date=October 12, 2013 |url-status=usurped |publisher=EndicottAlliance.org}}

== Leadership ==

=== President ===

[[Thomas J. Watson]], 1911–1949

[[John George Phillips (businessman)|John George Phillips]], 1949–1951

[[Thomas J. Watson Jr.]], 1951–1961

[[Albert Lynn Williams]], 1961–1966

[[T. Vincent Learson]], 1966–1971

[[Frank T. Cary]], 1971–1974

[[John R. Opel]], 1974–1983

[[John Fellows Akers]], 1983–1989

[[Jack Kuehler]], 1989–2000

[[Samuel J. Palmisano]], 2000–2012

[[Ginni Rometty]], 2012–2020

[[Arvind Krishna]], 2020–present

=== Chairman of the Board ===

[[George Winthrop Fairchild]], 1915–1949

[[Thomas J. Watson]], 1949–1961

[[Thomas J. Watson Jr.]], 1961–1971

[[T. Vincent Learson]], 1971–1972

[[Frank T. Cary]], 1972–1983

[[John R. Opel]], 1983–1986

[[John Fellows Akers]], 1986–1993

[[Lou Gerstner]], 1993–2002

[[Samuel J. Palmisano]], 2003–2012

[[Ginni Rometty]], 2012–2020

[[Arvind Krishna]], 2020–present

==See also== {{Portal|New York City|Companies|Telecommunication|Electronics|Technology}}

  • [[List of electronics brands]]
  • [[List of largest Internet companies]]
  • [[List of largest manufacturing companies by revenue]]
  • [[Tech companies in the New York City metropolitan region]]
  • [[Top 100 US Federal Contractors]]
  • [[Quantum Energy Teleportation]] using IBM superconducting computers

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading==

{{for|additional books about IBM, biographies, memoirs, technology and more|History of IBM#Further reading}} {{Refbegin}}

  • {{cite book |author-first=Henry |author-last=Bakis |editor=F. E. Ian Hamilton |year=1987 |title=Industrial change in advanced economies |publisher=Croom Helm |location=London |chapter=Telecommunications and the Global Firm |pages=130–160 |isbn=978-0-7099-3828-6}}
  • {{cite book |first=Roy A. |last=Bauer |year=1992 |title=The Silverlake Project: Transformation at IBM (AS/400) |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |display-authors=etal}}
  • {{cite book |first=Edwin |last=Black |author-link=Edwin Black |year=2001 |title=IBM and the Holocaust: The Strategic Alliance Between Nazi Germany and America's Most Powerful Corporation |title-link=IBM and the Holocaust |publisher=Dialog Press |isbn=0-914153-10-2}}
  • {{cite book |first=Paul |last=Carroll |year=1993 |title=Big Blues: The Unmaking of IBM |url=https://archive.org/details/bigbluesunmaking00carr |url-access=registration |publisher=Crown Publishers |isbn=978-0-517-59197-0}}
  • {{cite book |first=Doug |last=Garr |year=1999 |title=IBM Redux: Lou Gerstner & The Business Turnaround of the Decade |publisher=Harper Business}}
  • {{cite book |first=Louis V. Jr. |last=Gerstner |author-link=Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. |year=2002 |title=Who Says Elephants can't Dance? |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=0-00-715448-8}}
  • {{cite book |first=Peter E. |last=Greulich |year=2014 |title=A View from Beneath the Dancing Elephant: Rediscovering IBM's Corporate Constitution |publisher=MBI Concepts Corporation |isbn=978-0-9833734-6-9}}
  • {{cite book |first=John |last=Harwood |year=2011 |title=The Interface: IBM and the Transformation of Corporate Design, 1945–1976 |publisher=University of Minnesota Press |isbn=978-0-8166-7039-0}}
  • {{cite book |first=Robert |last=Heller |year=1994 |title=The Fate of IBM |publisher=Little Brown}}
  • {{cite book |first=David |last=Mercer |year=1987 |title=IBM: How the World's Most Successful Corporation is Managed |publisher=Kogan Page}}
  • {{cite book |first=David |last=Mercer |year=1988 |title=The Global IBM: Leadership in Multinational Management |url=https://archive.org/details/globalibmleaders00merc_0 |url-access=registration |publisher=Dodd, Mead |page=[https://archive.org/details/globalibmleaders00merc_0/page/374 374] |isbn=978-0-396-09259-9}}
  • {{cite book |first1=D. Quinn |last1=Mills |first2=G. Bruce |last2=Friesen |year=1996 |title=Broken Promises: An Unconventional View of What Went Wrong at IBM |publisher=Harvard Business School |isbn=0-87584-654-8}}.
  • {{cite book |first=Emerson W. |last=Pugh |year=1996 |title=Building IBM: Shaping an Industry |publisher=[[MIT Press]]}}
  • {{cite book |first=Robert |last=Slater |year=1999 |title=Saving Big Blue: IBM's Lou Gerstner |publisher=McGraw Hill}}
  • {{cite book |first=Ulrich |last=Steinhilper |author-link=Ulrich Steinhilper |year=2006 |title=Don't Talk – Do It! From Flying To Word Processing |publisher=Independent Books |isbn=1-872836-75-5}}
  • {{cite book |first=Ernest |last=von Simson |year=2009 |title=The Limits of Strategy: Lessons in Leadership from the Computer Industry |publisher=iUniverse |isbn=978-1-4401-9258-6}}
  • {{cite book |first=Thomas Jr. |last=Watson |author-link=Thomas Watson, Jr. |year=1990 |title=Father, Son & Co: My Life at IBM and Beyond |publisher=Bantam Books |url=https://archive.org/details/fathersoncomylif00wats_0 |url-access=registration |isbn=0-553-29023-1}} {{Refend}}

==External links== {{Sister project links}}

  • {{official website}}
  • {{OpenCorp|IBM}}
  • {{OpenSecrets}} {{Finance links | name = IBM | symbol = IBM | sec_cik = 51143 | yahoo = IBM | google = IBM }}

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