Why mainframes remain the quiet heroes of the AI era

Hassan Zamat: Mainframes are the quiet heroes of modern computing. Each mainframe is a purpose-built system that excels at processing massive amounts of data securely, reliably and at speed. That core value is unequalled in enterprise computing, and its value has only grown.

Ninety-two of the world’s top 100 banks rely on mainframes to process nearly three billion transactions each day. Swipe a card, book travel, get cash, engage with a healthcare system, and the mainframe supplies the magic that makes things work seamlessly. Mainframes work like a utility — like electric power available at the socket. All the user does is plug in, and the mainframe takes care of everything else in the background.

Combine the mainframe with cloud computing in a hybrid environment, and you get unrivaled reliability and scale, plus agility, rapid deployment, flexibility and the ability to infuse AI. You also get nearly bulletproof security, which has always been a defining strength of the mainframe. Data is encrypted as it moves inside the system. So even if bad actors are able to intercept the data, it’s unusable without the appropriate keys. And just as important, this protection doesn’t reduce performance. Mainframes can encrypt and process millions of instructions per second without slowing down transactions. As cyber threats grow more sophisticated — particularly with the rise of AI — this anchor, with its security-rich design, becomes even more critical.

When it comes to cloud integration, core transaction processing and sensitive data typically stay on the mainframe, while analytics, digital channels, and AI workloads run in the cloud. And with agentic AI, we’re moving toward environments where humans and AI agents work together to improve performance, resilience and outcomes. Kyndryl recently announced new agentic mainframe services for customers. This innovation enables us to help our customers design innovative and fit-for-purpose hybrid architectures that put business outcomes first while keeping technology concerns in the background.

Zamat: Skilling is central to IT modernization, and Kyndryl invests heavily in workforce development and AI-enabled knowledge systems that help newer technologists build expertise in mainframes. Industry analysts and the market recognize the results of these efforts. IDC’s recent naming of Kyndryl as a Leader in its Worldwide Mainframe Modernization Infrastructure Solutions 2025–2026 Vendor Assessment spotlighted our ability to modernize mainframe environments at scale. Kyndryl’s nearly 7,000 mainframe specialists support customers across assessment, planning, application modernization, data integration and managed services. And our proactive use of AI enhances service delivery and helps ready customers to capitalize on emerging AI-enabled mainframe capabilities.

Mainframes are integral to the operations of critical infrastructure enterprises, and modernizing them is a multi-year undertaking. Because of the indispensable roles that mainframes play, organizations need a partner with deep expertise, global reach, and a clear vision for the platform’s future. Kyndryl’s ability to lead in that space is exactly what the IDC recognition validated.

Looking ahead, mainframes will remain critical core components of enterprise technology as they continue to run foundational workloads while integrating with AI-enabled platforms in hybrid environments. The organizations that recognize the strategic value of their core systems and modernize thoughtfully will be best positioned to innovate without compromising security or trust.