Global Scans · IBM · Weekly Summary

• [New] IBM has announced it will acquire data infrastructure company Confluent for $11 billion in cash, marking the technology giant's largest acquisition in years as it seeks to capitalize on surging enterprise demand for artificial intelligence capabilities. Campus Technology
• [New] IBM and Confluent together will enable enterprises to deploy generative and agentic AI better and faster by providing trusted communication and data flow between environments, applications, and APIs. Campus Technology
• [New] IBM will help Pearson build a custom AI-powered learning platform - similar to IBM Consulting Advantage - that combines human expertise with AI assistants, agents, and assets. IBM Newsroom
• [New] IBM and Google released updated roadmaps showing practical quantum advantage arriving by 2029 to 2030. TechnoRist
• [New] Google's quantum chips went from 53 to 105 qubits in six years, and IBM recently unveiled a 120-qubit QPU that will be the leading device size in 2028. NextBigFuture.com
• [New] In April, IBM Corp. announced that it will invest $150 billion in the U.S. over the next five years to accelerate its role as the global leader in computing. Assembly
• [New] Potential risks and obstacles for IBM center on fierce cloud and AI competition, AI productionization challenges and execution complexity across integrated offerings, along with macro and sector-specific procurement timing that can create revenue volatility. Porter's Five Forces
• [New] India Aims for Top-3 Quantum Economy by 2047: NITI Aayog's Frontier Tech Hub, in collaboration with IBM, unveils a quantum technology roadmap targeting global leadership by 2047. Adda247
• [New] Executives expect a 53% increase in AI-powered self-service use by 2027, but they also emphasise the need to maintain trust and satisfaction, not just volume (IBM Institute for Business Value). Sociality.io Blog
• [New] In tandem, IBM and Cisco outlined plans to build a distributed, fault-tolerant quantum computing network by 2030, promising architectures capable of trillions of quantum gates through advanced networking technologies and a demonstration within three years. Quantum Pirates
• [New] IBM has reduced segments of its HR division through automation; Salesforce has suspended hiring for certain non-technical roles; and McKinsey projects that up to 30% of financial tasks could be automated by 2030. The Times Of India
• [New] IBM expects demand for enterprise-grade AI services to keep rising, and is betting on a broad portfolio of offerings to draw in spend. CIO Dive
• [New] IBM Watson & MedGemma: Integrate seamlessly with electronic health records (EHRs) to predict complications, suggest treatment pathways, and minimize human bias in diagnostic workflows. Tech Times

Last updated: 28 December 2025