In a discussion at IBM, Ric Lewis highlights the transformative impact of AI on the IT industry, emphasizing the importance of infrastructure, innovation, and strategic planning in driving growth. He believes that advancements in hardware, particularly GPUs, are crucial for developing AI applications, and encourages businesses to explore AI’s potential to enhance customer experiences and productivity.
In a conversation at IBM’s New York City headquarters, Ric Lewis, a hardware engineer with extensive experience in both hardware and software, discusses the evolving landscape of technology, particularly in relation to artificial intelligence (AI). He emphasizes that his background in hardware, especially chip engineering, has shaped his problem-solving approach, focusing on meticulous planning and verification due to the high costs associated with hardware development. Lewis reflects on his career at Hewlett Packard, where he transitioned from hardware to leading software-defined cloud business, ultimately leading him to IBM after a brief retirement.
Lewis highlights the current “golden age” of the IT industry, where technology is at the forefront of business transformation, driven by advancements in AI, cloud computing, and the internet. He notes that AI is revolutionizing not just tech companies but all businesses, and he felt compelled to return to the industry to be part of this significant shift. At IBM, he oversees a large infrastructure organization that includes mainframes, servers, storage, and cloud services, emphasizing the importance of innovation and collaboration within the company.
Discussing the challenges he faced upon joining IBM, Lewis mentions the need to invigorate a culture of risk-taking and innovation within the infrastructure group, which had been experiencing stagnation. He shares insights into the turnaround of IBM’s storage business, which he identified as a growth area due to the explosion of data. Lewis emphasizes the importance of strategic planning, product rationalization, and investing in software differentiation to drive growth in this sector.
When discussing AI’s impact on infrastructure, Lewis explains that the hardware capabilities have reached a tipping point, enabling the development of large language models and other AI applications. He elaborates on the role of GPUs in AI, noting that their ability to perform matrix math efficiently has made them essential for processing large datasets. Lewis believes that while the technology is advancing rapidly, the understanding of its applications and implications is still evolving, and he encourages businesses to start exploring AI’s potential.
In conclusion, Lewis shares his vision for the future of AI and mainframes, asserting that both will continue to thrive and innovate. He advises businesses to focus on improving customer experiences through AI and emphasizes the importance of setting ambitious goals. Lewis believes that the integration of AI will enhance productivity and transform industries, urging technology leaders to inspire their teams and collaborate effectively to navigate this dynamic landscape.