The Race for Speed and Performance with Artificial Intelligence

The F1 of computing

Last week, an industry leader commented, "Anne, there's no differentiation if you are selling a Mercedes to my client when he can have a BMW or Toyota." That's a typical thinking of many businessmen today when a car is a means of transport and speed is not crucial to his business survival. He can afford to be a little late with traffic and have budget to spend on a business lunch that may help him close a deal. But what if it was an intelligent car that could give him insights of the prospect while driving to lunch while his competitor drove a normal car?

Of course, he was referring cars as IT infrastructure - who cares if one server or cloud platform is faster than another. But that was yesterday's thinking, when a car or an infrastructure or network took you from one point to another. Even car manufacturers are looking into self-driving intelligent cars. Today, every industry business leader want insights and intelligence to set them apart from the competitors. Whoever gets the best technology with the most ground breaking and fastest insights gets the advantage to make the winning move. It is a race of speed, power and smarts.

AI Supercomputing handles 500,000 times Milky Way stars

" Supercomputing is the Formula One of computing. It's where companies test bleeding-edge technology at an unprecedented scale," says John Kelly, SVP, Cognitive Solutions and IBM Research.

IBM's vision of open source collaboration has led to the building of The Summit supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory with Nvidia, Mellanox and Red Hat. Summit is now the most powerful and smartest supercomputer for science. It builds model supernovas, stimulate quantum mechanics materials, pioneer new nano-material fabrications and explore cancer, genetics and the environment. 

Imagine handling more than 200 quadrillion calculations per second (1 quadrillion is 10 to the power of 15). That's equivalent to 500,000 times the number of stars in the Milky Way, or store the entire word's social media data in one place.

“By building these supercomputers, we are building the world’s leading AI machines,” says Hillery Hunter, IBM Fellow; Director, Accelerated Cognitive Infrastructure.

Why should we get excited?

Those working on supercomputers can save the earth through research. We can do our part with our own little projects too. What's beautiful about this AI technology is that we can now make a difference ourselves.

1.  Everyone has access- these supercomputers are built with Power9 processors and IBM Storage which enterprise own for running traditional workloads.

2.  Anyone can be AI-ready- the AI workloads are not highly customised one-off HPC solutions, but they can be used for the enterprises.

3.  Anyone can Uberize your industry- The architecture is built on AI-purposed systems that have massive scalability. So once, you're ready to take the market by storm, you are all set!

How to get started:

• Select an AI use case & try out the PowerAI demo
• Have a chat with an AI user or meet up, or arrange for a PowerAI Exploration Workshop

Last Friday, I saw a Quality Manager at a manufacturing plant with no IT background design a simple AI solution on how to improve quality inspection using PowerAI Vision. It was so simple!

More about Summit the world's fastest and most powerful supercomputer:

https://youtu.be/rn1t_T2QbSY

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Being Authentic. I Am Who I Am

A well meaning head hunter called me “Hey, did you leave IBM? Why didn’t you tell me so I can place you?” “No, I have not left. I will definitely tell you if I am looking out. Do you know something I don’t?” I laughingly replied. He replied, “Your LinkedIn job title changed to “Mindful Ledaership” so I thought you quit.”  That was just one reaction, among many connections that reacted to my profile change in surprise, happiness, curiosity, cautiousness and even disapproval.

What garnered these responses was just a change in my profile to “Mindful Leadership”. I had decided to integrate my career self and my spiritual self into one.  I had previously kept two separate identities – one professional identity as “Anne Phey – Innovator” as a kick-ass Marketing Director at IBM and another identity “Anne Phey – Mindful Meditator” that I shared about my journey of self discovery in holistic practices.

Here are the Top 5 reactions and my response:

1.  “Won’t your boss think you are spending time to blog about non-work stuff and affect your career?”

I am grateful that IBM practices work life integration and I have understanding bosses.  We recognize that team members need a healthy balance of work and private time.  While many employees may spend their week nights or weekends with their parents or children, I choose to spend my time on holistic practices and sharing them on social media.  The employee is evaluated on the results, and not how they spend their time.  So, sharing about mindfulness does not make me any less effective as an employee.

2. “You are a social advocate, why a title on mindfulness and not IBM?”

As LinkedIn’s top Social Seller, I am an advocate of social media as a medium for corporates to reach out to partners and customers.  Being an advocate does not mean talking only about one’s company all the time. Often social media becomes a bombardment of corporate jargon. People trust people.  We earn that trust by being genuine and having an opinion. I am an IBM ambassador, not one that blindly drum-beats corporate messages, but a human that one can relate to and have a conversation with.  I can share both about mindfulness and corporate content.

3. “Don’t you think it is unprofessional to share about mindfulness on corporate platforms?”

Mindfulness is an attitude, an approach and a holistic practice.  It is not contrary to corporate work. In fact, it adds to a better person, environment and work outcomes.  In the tech industry, disruptions are changing the way industries and customers are behaving.  If one practices mindfulness, one can navigate these disruptions with ease.

Personally, I have gained from mindfulness with calmness in my approach, better clarity by being able to observe alternative perspectives on situations, confidence in handling obstacles, positive encouragement to team members, motivation to do good and tenacity to outlast the issues.

Our Human Resource Director Craig Stewart too writes about mindfulness in his blogs. (See more at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mindfulness-isnt-just-fancy-way-saying-yoga-stuff-craig-stewart)

4. “Recruiters can’t categorize you if you put mindfulness into your job title.”

Human Resource as a function no longer relies on job titles and abilities on CVs but about how a person’s intrinsic qualities such as mindfulness and leadership can take the role and job scope to success.

Here is an example of incorporating mindfulness into your profile. Techfucius is a CIO (Chief Information Officer) who is a seeker of salvation from IT woes.  Instead of seeking salvation atop a mountain somewhere, he has to practice mindfulness with deep reflection within to manage a tech world riddled with disruption and uncertainty. His blogs talk about the power of strengthening what lies within (See more at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/power-strengthening-what-lies-within-techfucius-say)

5. “Have you quit your job to go full time into holistic work?”

Changing my job title to “Mindful Leader” gave many the impression that I am no longer working in the corporate world.  Most people believe that you have to either be a corporate warrior or a peaceful holistic practitioner.  I choose to be both.  I love my job at IBM and I love what I do to help individuals transform their lives. And I love showing by example to transform my life to a better person, boss and team mate at my workplace. 

Corporate and Mindfulness Merge As One

We sometimes draw such well defined lines around areas of our lives – our work, our home, our children, our recreation club and our spiritual practices.  As I discover more about myself, I become more of who I truly am at home and at work. There is just one me, I am who I am.

In fact, several social advocates have contacted me to ask how I managed to integrate mindfulness, corporate and social media.  Many have asked for further discussions and tips as they see social media and social selling cross the chasm of regurgitating corporate jargon to sharing from the heart of what matters to the person be it personal, professional or corporate development. 

So here I am, on this path of integration. I will be blogging about mindfulness on how it has helped become better persons in the corporate world, and also about the tech industry with mindfulness.   

Join me, be bold and shine as who you are. Be authentic.

Time to Amplify The Power of Marketing

As some of you may know, I was awarded #2 Social Seller by LinkedIn in November 2014.  It is now November 2015 and I wonder about how well I now stand with my social media ranking.

The good news is that in 2015, our IBM Power blogs are being pumped out almost on a weekly basis with "We Believe - Power Wins" and "We Amplify - Power Marketing" blogs, and responses to the many global and regional Systems and Marketing blogs that we actively contribute and respond to.  I have lots of re-tweets, re-posts, shares and comments on IBM on all my social media platforms - Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Linked In.  I would like to think that besides the great work from our brand, technical and sales team, marketing and our social efforts has helped us turn around our business to several consecutive quarters of year to year growth since I have joined the Asia Pacific team.

Looking across 2014 and 2015, there was a significant change in my personal social engagement. In 2014, I was in ASEAN Systems Marketing and had to manage the System x team which had the challenge of enduring a year of uncertainty before they eventually transitioned to Lenovo.  Blogging had become a way for me to share my thoughts about the industry both tech and marketing.  I had hoped that my raw and honest view helped to provide an objective perspective amidst rumours and nay sayings.  It was my way to inspire my team, encourage my fellow colleagues, business partners, customers and the industry.

Many who were inspired or touched by my blogs reached out to me to share with them and their teams.  So in 2015,  I began sharing, training and mentoring many who were willing to learn about digital and social.  I was invited to share my expertise on how to build social eminence with general managers, directors, managers, staff and students.  These included universities, trade associations, government boards, human resource organizations, manufacturers, marketing forums and public events.

As I spend time mentoring and coaching, coupled with ramping up our IBM capabilities, I had somehow neglected myself and when I forget to share "me" to the world, those who followed me have lost the opportunity for inspiration.  Several followers recently commented that they have been following me and been missing my blogs.  So, it is time to really amplify the power of marketing by re-awaken my social identity and re-vitalize my blog. 

I will share as I learn.  As Tim Cahill says, "A journey is best measured by friends than miles."  Come and follow me on this journey.

Infrastructure Matters - Hear It From The People Who Know Best

Business and technology are transforming, creating a greater need and urgency to deploy a computing infrastructure that helps support their business results. 

However, according to the IBM Institute of Business Value Study, while 70% want to embark on the new era of computing, only less than ten percent are ready.

The IBM Asia Pacific & ASEAN Systems & Technology Group shares about how infrastructure matters.  A fun ad lib no script impromptu video straight from the heart, from us to you!

Infrastructure Matters

Infrastructure Matters because: 

1. Big Data matters. 

The more quantity and complex the data you have, the faster and more accurate you need to crunch it. We tested our POWER servers against x86 servers and we were faster and cheaper!

2. Analytics matters.   

Imagine with IBM Power systems, you can crunch data up to 82x faster? That means you can get your analysis done faster to make decisions ahead of your competition.

3. Cloud matters.   

A robust cloud ensures that you have access 24x7 with no interruption or downtime. Always ask for POWER available as bare metal in your cloud.

4. Mobility matters. 

90% of the world’s banks run their applications and mobility on IBM Systems. Every second lost means loss of customers

5. Social matters. 

Customers demand immediate response. POWER systems have the highest availability and utilization, so you will never fear that you lose touch socially.

Catch this candid video where IBM Systems team shares what our clients and partners believe is the right infrastructure.

Managing a business divestiture. IBM closes sale of x86 server business to Lenovo.

Managing a business divestiture. 

IBM closes sale of x86 server business to Lenovo on 1st Oct.

 

On 1^st October 2014, the initial closing of the sale of IBM’s x86 server business to Lenovo started in most of the markets, including Asia Pacific. The 7,500 employees that work within the x96 unit across the globe will make the move to Lenovo’s Enterprise Business Group headed up by ex-IBM executive Adalio Sanchez.  This divestiture is a significant, strategic milestone for IBM and STG. 

1. WHAT CHANGED

The IT world has seen this x86 server become a fast-growing and lucrative technology that lifted sales at companies like HP and Dell, which still relied on them for billions of dollars in sales. As when IBM sold its personal computer business to Lenovo in 2005 which sparked success at both companies, this sale signals a change in the computing market.

Despite the competition, buying IBM’s x86 server business is a boon for Lenovo. Enterprise products are generally a higher-margin business than consumer gadgets. Lenovo’s own manufacturing capabilities and sales channels could help squeeze out more profits from the server sales.  


2. THE BUYER'S VIEW

 
Yang Yuanqing, Chairman and CEO of Lenovo said, “Lenovo will add a world-class business that extends our capabilities in enterprise hardware and services, immediately making us a strong number three in the global server market. By combining Lenovo’s global reach, efficiency and operational excellence with IBM’s legendary quality, innovation and service, I am confident that we can drive profitable growth.”


3. THE SELLER'S VIEW

On the other hand, IBM is turning its focus to higher end systems where it can generate competitive advantage.  “IBM will intensify the focus on our Power, mainframe and storage systems, where we can apply IBM’s valuable research and development capabilities to differentiate our offerings.  As we innovate in areas such as big data and cloud, allowing clients to capture value from opportunities in these segments.”says Tom Rosamilia, Senior Vice President of IBM Systems & Technology Group.

4. THE TRANSITION

 
Over the nine months, IBM has been preparing for this transition with a few key investments, including $3 billion in new chip technology to help IBM remain the systems innovation leader, $1 billion investment in Linux and open source technologies for Power Systems, $1 billion investment in Flash storage technology, and billion dollar investments in Watson ad cloud. These investments will help fuel renewed vitality and growth in our core STG businesses.

At such critical times, one server competitor who was fearful of the combination of IBM’s size and Lenovo’s profitability, showed their true colours with blatant competitive ads to undermine the confidence of customers and business partners on the server business.  We have chosen to ignore these ungentlemanly acts as baseless.


5. STEADYING THE TROOPS

I am privileged to be involved in the transition of the x86 team to Lenovo.  We have been going through a lot of planning for the integration of the business and a quick transition turnover of the business systems that supports how we operate.   IBM will continue to provide maintenance services to existing System x customers to ensure the transition between IBM and Lenovo is seamless.  IBM marketing has also been designed to support Lenovo marketing to ensure that our strong demand generation capabilities are transferred.

To the departed x86 colleagues, remember the “I love System x” campaign where you have demonstrated team work and confidence in our technology, regardless of the fear of the unknown new company.  Here’s a encouraging quote “Sometimes what you’re most afraid of doing is the very thing that will set you free.”  I wish you success in your new company.

To the IBM Systems & Technology Group team that remains, I wish you what I have experienced in supporting the transition. I have learnt so much more about the business, processes, people, differentiation and competitive advantage.  “A smooth sea never made for a skilled sailor.”