IBM’s approach to generative AI emphasizes simplification and practical transformation for enterprises. Amid rising excitement around AI, many businesses are discovering challenges in implementing and maintaining a cohesive AI strategy, particularly when managing multicloud and multi-modal environments.

IBM is addressing these concerns by developing solutions that prioritize ease of integration and focus on business outcomes.

“Sixty-six percent of CIOs are dissatisfied with the progress they’ve made with fen AI,” said Bruno Aziza (pictured), group vice president of data, BI and AI at IBM Corp. “Interestingly enough, 60% … of them do not have a consistent strategy for the transformation through generative AI.”

Aziza spoke with theCUBE Research’s John Furrier at theCUBE on the Ground – IBM Analyst Forum event, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed how IBM is helping enterprises optimize their operations through data-driven insights and collaborative AI strategies. (* Disclosure below.)

Simplifying generative AI integration for the enterprise

IBM’s long-standing role in business technology innovation has solidified its reputation as a trusted partner for enterprise AI transformations. This foundation enables IBM to closely collaborate with CIOs inundated with new AI tools and models but lack a clear strategy to derive value from them. IBM’s simplification approach is intended to shift focus away from technology hurdles, allowing CIOs to center their efforts on generating business impact.

“The opportunity for us is to really simplify across the stack,” Aziza said. “First, you’re going to manage and work with data. Then you’re probably going to orchestrate, and then you’re probably going to activate it.”

IBM’s goal is to move beyond isolated AI applications, focusing instead on creating an agentic framework that enables AI tools to work collaboratively across the organization. This framework allows different AI models to interconnect seamlessly, enhancing productivity and supporting growth objectives. Rather than acting independently, IBM envisions these agents as synergistic components — capable of sharing insights and resources — across departments.

“Imagine a world where now as an agent above a layer of a cloud or above a layer of an application, I’m able to have awareness of other agents that can pull in,” Aziza said. “Now you can use agents to collaborate with other agents, agents to collaborate with other humans across domains, and effectively solve beyond just creating a dashboard, solve to create a business outcome.”

IBM’s cloud-agnostic approach aligns with its commitment to adaptability, giving businesses the flexibility to leverage various models and cloud providers without concern for compatibility issues. This approach empowers CIOs to choose the tools that best meet their organizational goals, all while ensuring that these tools operate in harmony.

“I think what matters the most is, are you working with a partner that doesn’t really have a horse in the race of which cloud you’re going to choose or which model you’re going to choose, but is really aligned with your goals as a CIO,” Aziza said.

Aziza likens IBM’s role to that of a conductor, orchestrating AI and data strategies that bring all elements together in harmony. This approach integrates AI not just as a set of standalone tools but as a collaborative network that drives tangible business results.

“If you think about music, you got the guitar player and the drummer, they all have great value by themselves, but someone needs to be orchestrating that. And I think we have a great role to play here,” Aziza said.

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE and theCUBE Research’s coverage of theCUBE on the Ground – IBM Analyst Forum event:

Watch the full event video below:

(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the IBM Analyst Forum event. Neither IBM Corp., the sponsor of theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE