IBM has begun deploying IBM watsonx, its next-generation AI aimed at enterprise customers.

IBM unveiled watsonx in May, touting its ability to help customers become “AI advantaged,” with the tools necessary to train the AI for specific needs. The company says it is now rolling out watsonx in the form of three tools aimed at helping companies accelerate their AI adoption:

The watsonx.ai studio for new foundation models, generative AI and machine learning (now available); the watsonx.data fit-for-purpose data store, built on an open lakehouse architecture (now available); and the watsonx.governance toolkit to help enable AI workflows to be built with responsibility, transparency and explainability (coming later this year).

Watsonx is designed to allow customers to deploy the AI for specific use-case scenarios, or to custom train the model for their own needs. IBM says the platform has already been shaped by more than 150 users across a wide range of industries.

“IBM’s launch of watsonx was an awakening,” said Sean Im, Samsung SDS America, “and it has inspired us to explore the immense potential of watsonx.ai’s generative AI capabilities to deliver unprecedented innovations for our clients.”

“In an environment where the integration with our systems and seamless interconnection with various software are paramount, watsonx.ai emerges as a compelling solution,” said Atsushi Hasegawa, Chief Engineer, Honda R&D. “Its inherent flexibility and agile deployment capabilities, coupled with a robust commitment to information security, accentuates its appeal.”

IBM says it will continue to build on watsonx in the coming year, adding improved governance features and regulatory compliance.

Over the next year, watsonx will continue to evolve and we expect to make significant releases. We will be focused on expanding enterprise foundation model use cases beyond NLP and operationalizing 100B+ parameter models for bespoke, targeted use cases – opening the door to broader enterprise adoption.

We will also bring to bear the strength of our AI governance capabilities – helping organizations to implement end-to-end lifecycle governance, mitigate risk and manage compliance to the growing AI and industry regulations. AI governance should never be an afterthought, so we encourage our customers begin governance of their ML models and foundation models at the outset.