IBM introduces new software to address growing digital sovereignty imperative

IBM on Friday unveiled IBM Sovereign Core, an AI-ready sovereign-enabled software for enterprises, governments and service providers to build, deploy and manage AI-ready sovereign environments.

According to a media release from the company, organisations around the world are facing a growing imperative to exercise control over their technology infrastructure. Driven by evolving regulatory requirements, and the need for auditable governance, enterprises and governments were seeking self-managed environments where they maintain complete operational authority, particularly as they deploy AI workloads that amplify sovereignty concerns, it said.

Big Blue further said, digital sovereignty went beyond data residency and it encompassed who operates and controls the technology environment, how data was accessed and governed, where workloads execute, and under whose jurisdiction AI models ran.

Yet most organizations lacked a destination to land, modernise, and re-host applications under sovereign control, including applications that would incorporate AI capabilities, and have continuous compliance reporting capabilities, the firm said.

Sandip Patel, Managing Director, IBM India & South Asia said, “As AI adoption accelerates in India, businesses will need to innovate while meeting tightening regulatory requirements and controlling sensitive data and AI workloads. It is crucial as large language models and agentic workflows often process sensitive data, and maintaining local authority is essential for confident AI adoption.’’

IBM Sovereign Core offered an AI-ready sovereign stack, providing organisations with control, ensuring compliance and operational autonomy, he claimed, adding it was designed for flexibility and was part of IBM’s long-standing commitment to empowering clients with an open hybrid cloud approach.