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IBM Launches watsonx Code Assistant, Delivers Generative AI-powered Code Generation Capabilities Built for Enterprise Application Modernization

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Watsonx Code Assistant for Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed and watsonx Code Assistant for Z are now available

ARMONK, N.Y., Oct. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Today IBM (NYSE: IBM) launched watsonx Code Assistant, a generative AI-powered assistant that helps enterprise developers and IT operators code more quickly and more accurately using natural language prompts. The product currently delivers on two specific enterprise use cases. First, IT Automation with watsonx Code Assistant for Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed, for tasks such as network configuration and code deployment. Second, mainframe application modernization with watsonx Code Assistant for Z, for translation of COBOL to Java on IBM Z.1

Designed to accelerate development while maintaining the principles of trust, security, and compliance, the product leverages generative AI based on IBM’s Granite foundation models for code running on IBM’s watsonx platform. Granite uses the decoder architecture, which underpins large language model capabilities to predict what is next in a sequence to support natural language processing tasks. IBM is exploring opportunities to tune watsonx Code Assistant with additional domain-specific generative AI capabilities to assist in code generation, code explanation, and the full end-to-end software development lifecycle to continue to drive enterprise application modernization.

According to a recent IDC report, “Because it relies on a model trained on curated data, watsonx Code Assistant can help enterprises improve code quality by propagating best practices through code recommendations, instead of polluting enterprise code bases with code generated by models trained on unvetted repositories.”2 

“With this launch, watsonx Code Assistant joins watsonx Orchestrate and watsonx Assistant in IBM’s growing line of watsonx assistants that provide enterprises with tangible ways to implement generative AI,” said Kareem Yusuf, Ph.D, Senior Vice President, Product Management and Growth, IBM Software. “Watsonx Code Assistant puts AI-assisted code development and application modernization tools directly into the hands of developers – in a naturally integrated way that is designed to be non-disruptive – to help address skills gaps and increase productivity.”

Additionally, IBM Consulting brings deep domain expertise across these use cases working closely with clients across industries such as banking, insurance, healthcare and government, to build strategies to allow them to take advantage of the potential of generative AI and code generation to accelerate modernization.

IT Automation – IBM watsonx Code Assistant for Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed

The Ansible Automation Platform helps enterprise developers and IT operators implement automation, using Ansible Playbooks, for IT tasks including infrastructure management, hybrid cloud deployment, network configuration, application deployment and more. With IBM watsonx Code Assistant for Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed, platform users can input plain English prompts to automatically generate task recommendations for Ansible Playbooks that adhere to best practices in task creation and maintenance. This way, a greater number of team members can create Ansible Playbooks more efficiently and implement automation engineered to be more resilient and easier to support without in-depth training.

Technical Preview Key Data:

Approximately 4,000 developers participated in the technical preview.85% overall average acceptance rate of the AI-generated content recommendations. (from July 27 – Oct 23, 2023, based on over 41,000 recommendations)Productivity improvements in the range of 20-45%.

“Red Hat has already shown what domain-specific AI can do for IT automation at the community level,” said Ashesh Badani, Senior Vice President and Chief Product Officer, Red Hat. “The release of watsonx Code Assistant for Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed has the potential to close skills gaps, create greater organizational efficiencies and free enterprise IT to deliver even more business value.”

The Hybrid Cloud Platforms team within the IBM CIO Office uses Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform to support a wide range of tasks within their IT environment whether it’s patching, resolving vulnerabilities, or running regular health checks of their systems. Bob Epstein, Leader of IBM CIO Hybrid Cloud Platforms, expects that the number of developers able to produce Ansible Playbooks with the full release version could increase as much as 10x as watsonx Code Assistant for Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed empowers other team members such as Site Reliability Engineers who can use natural language to generate Ansible-specific automation tasks.

“I like to look at our modernization journey in these stages: In the past we were crawling, doing a lot of things manually. Then, when we started automating, we were walking. Once we implemented Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform, we were running. And as we look ahead, with watsonx Code Assistant for Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed, I think we will be able to fly,” said Robert Barron, Architect, Hybrid Cloud Platforms, IBM CIO Office.

Mainframe Application Modernization – IBM watsonx Code Assistant for Z

IBM watsonx Code Assistant for Z helps enable faster translation of COBOL to Java on IBM Z and enhances developer productivity on the platform. It is being designed to assist businesses in leveraging generative AI and automated tooling to accelerate their mainframe application modernization – while allowing clients to take advantage of the performance, security and resiliency capabilities of IBM Z.

Today, the product follows the application modernization lifecycle, starting with an application discovery capability, which maps out a technical understanding of the application and its dependencies. Then, an automated refactoring capability leverages the information captured in application discovery to identify selected elements to decompose the monolithic application into modular COBOL business services. Finally, watsonx Code Assistant for Z leverages generative AI to transform individual COBOL business services into object-oriented Java code. The next step in the lifecycle is validation testing. Anticipated in a future release, the product will support automated test case generation to validate the new COBOL or Java services.

TCS and IBM hold a long-term partnership that fosters a collaborative ecosystem to develop joint successes for their customers and stakeholders. Leveraging this partnership and the deep contextual knowledge, TCS has grown a purpose-led, dedicated, full-service practice for in-place application modernization.

“There is a significant need for the developer productivity gains that generative AI can bring to transform applications on the mainframe,” said Keshav Varma, ISU Head, Technology, Software and Services Business Unit, TCS. “While watsonx Code Assistant for Z has only just become available, we have several clients that have already requested that we create proofs of concept for them. With decades of enterprise experience from both our companies, we look forward to building on our deep partnership with IBM using watsonx.”

IBM Consulting Brings Expertise to Help Clients with IT Automation and Modernization

Early IBM Consulting engagements for both watsonx Code Assistant for Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed and watsonx Code Assistant for Z aim to provide clients with the ability to deliver continuous automation, Ansible Playbook productivity, quality improvements, and transformation of IT operations – in addition to helping them identify the right application areas to modernize with Z.

For those looking for more personalized use cases with watsonx Code Assistant, IBM Consulting and IBM Client Engineering can work side-by-side with clients to identify specific pain points and solve critical business and technical challenges from the users’ perspective. IBM Consulting brings deep industry expertise in application modernization, IT automation and generative AI via dedicated Red Hat and watsonx practices that work closely with IBM Research, IBM Technology and Red Hat.

Statements regarding IBM’s future direction and intent are subject to change or withdrawal without notice, and represent goals and objectives only. 

About IBM

IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. More than 4,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud products and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service.

Media contact:
Rebecca Neufeld
rebecca.neufeld@ibm.com

1 IBM watsonx Code Assistant for Z includes an on-prem and as a service component. When the components are purchased together, watsonx Code
Assistant for Z includes the referenced generative AI capabilities.

2 IDC Market Note, IBM’s watsonx Offers Generative AI for EnterpriseDevelopment and DevOps, IDC #US51203823, September 8, 2023

 

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLOcdyFZN0k 

SOURCE IBM

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EPG Publishes Inaugural ESG Report, Establishing Baseline for Sustainable Global Expansion

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April 20, 2026

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SINGAPORE, April 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — EPG today released its 2025 ESG Report, outlining its sustainability approach and performance across global operations as it scales internationally.

Environmental EPG achieved full compliance with applicable environmental regulations, with 100% of waste treated and disposed of. The company completed its inaugural greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory, encompassing Scope 1, Scope 2, and key Scope 3 categories, establishing the foundation for its emissions management strategy and long-term decarbonization roadmap.

Social Female represented 31% of total employees, and 85% of employees recruited locally in Malaysia hold managerial positions. EPG maintained a diversified supply chain, with approximately 47% of suppliers based outside of mainland China.

Governance As of the date of this press release, the EPG Board of Directors includes two female directors, representing 22% of board members. The Board convened two meetings with 100% attendance.

As EPG matures its ESG framework, the company is forming a dedicated ESG Committee to oversee this progress. ESG management systems will be embedded into existing and planned facilities, starting with its Malaysia manufacturing plant currently under construction. EPG will also extend these standards through its supply chain at its upcoming Shanghai partner conference.

“Scaling globally only means something if we scale responsibly,” said Alick Wan, EPG Founder and Chairman. “We see an opportunity to redefine what sustainable infrastructure looks like for the AI era — proving that high performing infrastructure can also carry light footprint. We believe modular is how the industry gets there.”

EPG is proud to have contributed to the book Greener Data, Volume III, launching on Earth Day 2026. The chapter shared EPG’s philosophy on how modular construction reduces on-site waste, lowers embodied carbon, and enables full lifecycle sustainability, making the case that responsible scaling and commercial ambition are not in conflict.

Following approximately $200 million in Series B and B+ financing, EPG will keep strengthening company-wide ESG governance and scale its modular approach across an expanding international footprint.

Read the full report: https://www.epg-module.com/list-27-1.html

Contact: communications@epg-module.com

About EPG

EPG is a Singapore-headquartered provider of modular and prefabricated data center infrastructure, powered by dual R&D centers in Singapore and Shanghai and advanced manufacturing hubs in Malaysia and China. With over 20 years of engineering expertise, EPG delivers innovative and sustainable solutions for hyperscale, cloud, and enterprise deployments across APAC, EMEA, and other global markets.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/epg-publishes-inaugural-esg-report-establishing-baseline-for-sustainable-global-expansion-302746582.html

SOURCE EPG Singapore Pte Ltd

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Simpli5 Announces Platform Expansion Designed to Close the Gap Between Self-Awareness and Team Action

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April 20, 2026

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Behavioral intelligence leader addresses the knowing-doing problem that leaves most assessment investments unrealized

AUSTIN, Texas, April 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Simpli5, the behavioral intelligence platform that powers team effectiveness at organizations including LinkedIn, Kaiser Permanente, and Notion, today announced a significant expansion of its platform aimed at solving one of the most persistent challenges in enterprise learning and development: the knowing-doing gap.

While behavioral assessments have proliferated across the Fortune 500, the vast majority of users never return to their insights after initial onboarding — leaving significant organizational investment unrealized. The upcoming Simpli5 release is engineered specifically to close that gap, translating one-time self-awareness into an ongoing team practice embedded in the flow of daily work.

“Self-awareness that lives in a report is just data. Self-awareness that lives in your daily relationships is transformation,” said Karen Wright Gordon, Founder and CEO of Simpli5. “We built this because we knew the highest-value moments in our platform were sitting unused for too many users. These features are about closing that gap without adding friction.”

The expansion introduces a suite of interconnected capabilities designed to keep behavioral insights present in the flow of daily work — accessible at the moments that matter most, and creating reinforcing loops that grow in value as organizational adoption scales.

Unlike point-in-time assessments, Simpli5 is engineered to compound in value over time. Each connection made, each insight applied, and each colleague activated increases the network intelligence available to every user on the platform. The upcoming release is designed to accelerate that compounding effect.

Full feature details and availability will be announced in the coming weeks.

About Simpli5

Simpli5 powered by 5 Dynamics is a behavioral intelligence platform built on the science of five natural work energy phases: Explore, Excite, Examine, Execute, and Evaluate. Unlike static assessment tools, Simpli5 is a living team intelligence platform that deepens in value as adoption scales across an organization. Its AI coaching product, SenSai, delivers personalized behavioral insights at the moment of need.

For more information, visit simpli5.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/simpli5-announces-platform-expansion-designed-to-close-the-gap-between-self-awareness-and-team-action-302746293.html

SOURCE Simpli5

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SK hynix Begins Mass Production of 192GB SOCAMM2 ‘Setting a New Standard for AI Server Memory Performance’

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April 20, 2026

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–     Mass production of 192GB high capacity products designed for the NVIDIA Vera Rubin platform
–     Maximizes power efficiency by featuring high density DRAM based on the latest 1cnm process
–     Company to closely collaborate with NVIDIA to solve bottlenecks in AI infrastructure and provide optimal performance

SEOUL, South Korea, April 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SK hynix Inc. (or “the company”, www.skhynix.com) announced today that it has begun mass production of the 192GB SOCAMM2, a next-generation memory module standard based on the 1cnm process (sixth-generation of the 10-nanometer technology) LPDDR5X low-power DRAM.

SOCAMM2[1] is a module that adapts low-power memory – which was previously used mainly in mobile products like smartphones – for server environments. It is designed to be a primary memory solution for next-generation AI servers.

[1]SOCAMM2 (Small Outline Compression Attached Memory Module 2): An AI server–optimized memory module based on LPDDR. It offers a slim form factor and high scalability, while its compression connector enhances signal integrity and allows for easy module replacement

SK hynix emphasized that the 1cnm based SOCAMM2 product that is now in mass production delivers more than double the bandwidth with over 75% improved power efficiency compared to conventional RDIMM[2], providing an optimized solution for high performance AI operations.

[2]RDIMM (Registered Dual In-Line Memory Module): DRAM module for server/workstation that includes a register or buffer chip to relay address and command signals between the memory controller and DRAM chip in a memory module

In particular, the company noted that its SOCAMM2 products are designed for NVIDIA Vera Rubin platform.

SK hynix expects the new SOCAMM2 product will fundamentally resolve the memory bottlenecks encountered during the training and inference of large language model (LLM) with hundreds of billions of parameters, thereby playing a pivotal role in dramatically accelerating the processing speed of the overall system.

The company stated that with the AI market shifting focus from inference to training, SOCAMM2 is gaining significant attention as a next-generation memory solution capable of operating LLMs with low power consumption. To meet the demands of its global Cloud Service Provider (CSP) customers, SK hynix has not only been providing a supply portfolio, but also stabilized its mass production system early on.

“By supplying the 192GB SOCAMM2, SK hynix has established a new standard for AI memory performance,” Justin Kim, President & Head of AI Infra (CMO, Chief Marketing Officer) at SK hynix said. “We will solidify our position as the most trusted AI memory solution provider, through close collaboration with our global AI customers.”

About SK hynix Inc.

SK hynix Inc., headquartered in Korea, is the world’s top-tier semiconductor supplier offering Dynamic Random Access Memory chips (“DRAM”) and flash memory chips (“NAND flash”) for a wide range of distinguished customers globally. The Company’s shares are traded on the Korea Exchange, and the Global Depository shares are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. Further information about SK hynix is available at www.skhynix.com, news.skhynix.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sk-hynix-begins-mass-production-of-192gb-socamm2–setting-a-new-standard-for-ai-server-memory-performance-302746711.html

SOURCE SK hynix Inc.

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