IBM Teams with OpenAI to Bolster Enterprise AI Push

IBM has partnered with OpenAI to bring the AI company's models and tools to more enterprise customers. The deal, which was announced on Thursday, comes less than a year after IBM partnered with Anthropic. Under the agreement, IBM will integrate OpenAI's latest models, including GPT-5.6, Codex, and ChatGPT Work, into its AI platform for consultants.

The partnership also includes training tens of thousands of IBM consultants on OpenAI's technologies over the next several months. This will focus on OpenAI's Codex, API, cybersecurity, and consultative solution credentials. The training is part of a dedicated OpenAI practice within IBM Consulting, which will establish a group of specialized 'Forward Deployed Experts' trained through OpenAI's Partner Network.

IBM said that it would create industry-specific solutions for sectors including financial services, government, telecommunications, and retail, in collaboration with OpenAI. The partnership comes as competition among AI model developers increasingly shifts from building more capable models to winning corporate customers and large-scale deployments.