Qualcomm and IBM Partner to Scale Enterprise-Grade Generative AI from Edge to Cloud
In a groundbreaking move, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and IBM have announced an expanded collaboration aimed at driving enterprise-ready generative AI solutions across both edge devices and cloud platforms. This partnership is designed to deliver scalable, efficient, and secure AI solutions that enhance immediacy, privacy, reliability, personalization, and cost-effectiveness while reducing energy consumption. By integrating advanced tools like IBM watsonx.governance and optimizing IBM Granite models, the collaboration empowers businesses to harness the transformative power of AI responsibly and effectively.
Enterprise-Grade AI Solutions with Robust Governance
A key focus of this collaboration is the integration of IBM watsonx.governance into Qualcomm’s ecosystem, including the Qualcomm AI Inference Suite and devices powered by Qualcomm’s high-performance, low-power platforms. Watsonx.governance is designed to help businesses manage their AI deployments responsibly at scale, ensuring robust monitoring, decision-making, and operational control. This integration enables enterprises to deploy AI solutions with enhanced security, efficiency, and governance, addressing critical concerns such as data privacy and compliance.
“Through this collaboration, we are delivering cutting-edge, enterprise-grade generative AI solutions for devices across the edge and cloud,” said Durga Malladi, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Technology Planning and Edge Solutions at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Our partnership with IBM ensures that businesses can deploy AI solutions that are not only fast and personalized but also come with robust governance, monitoring, and decision-making capabilities.”
Optimized Granite Models for Edge AI
IBM’s Granite 3.1 models, the company’s third-generation flagship language models, have been optimized for Qualcomm’s platforms and are now available for download via the Qualcomm AI Hub. These models empower developers and businesses to unlock the full potential of AI at the edge using Qualcomm’s high-performance processors. The collaboration also includes plans to integrate Granite Guardian 8B and Granite 3.1 8B models into a Snapdragon® 8 Elite reference design and the Qualcomm Dragonwing™ AI On-Prem Appliance Solution.
These models provide end-to-end generative AI solutions with built-in guardrails for controlling model deployments, monitoring operations, and enhancing decision-making. By combining Qualcomm’s on-device inferencing, low-power architecture, and privacy features with IBM’s watsonx capabilities, the partnership addresses critical challenges such as security, reliability, and governance in AI deployments.
Hybrid Cloud Deployments with Red Hat OpenShift Certification
Another significant milestone in this collaboration is the Red Hat OpenShift certification for Qualcomm’s Cloud AI family of accelerators. Red Hat OpenShift, the industry’s leading hybrid cloud application platform powered by Kubernetes, enables seamless deployment of IBM’s suite of software applications, including watsonx, on hardware solutions based on Qualcomm Cloud AI. This certification facilitates true hybrid cloud deployments, allowing businesses to scale AI workloads efficiently across both on-premises and cloud environments.
The combination of Qualcomm’s Cloud AI accelerators and Red Hat OpenShift ensures that enterprises can deploy AI solutions with unparalleled flexibility, scalability, and performance. This capability is particularly valuable for industries requiring real-time processing, such as healthcare, finance, and manufacturing.
Expanding the Qualcomm AI Hub with IBM Collaboration
The Qualcomm AI Hub is set to play a pivotal role in this collaboration by providing developers and businesses with access to optimized IBM Granite models. Additionally, the companies plan to expand the hub’s capabilities by incorporating governance and responsibility guardrails for on-device models through watsonx.governance. This ensures that AI solutions deployed at the edge adhere to enterprise-grade standards for security, transparency, and accountability.
For more technical insights into this implementation, developers can visit the Qualcomm Developer Blog, which offers detailed guidance and resources to help businesses leverage these innovations effectively.
Driving Innovation Across Industries
This collaboration underscores the importance of partnerships in advancing AI technology. By combining Qualcomm’s expertise in high-performance, low-power computing with IBM’s leadership in AI governance and language models, the two companies are enabling businesses to capitalize on the transformative power of AI—regardless of where data resides.
“Deepening our collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies strengthens our ability to bring enterprise-grade generative AI from the cloud to the edge,” said Ritika Gunnar, General Manager of Data and AI at IBM. “By optimizing IBM’s watsonx.governance and Granite models for use with Snapdragon and Qualcomm Dragonwing platforms, we’re helping businesses harness the full potential of AI while maintaining control over security, efficiency, and governance.”
Showcasing Innovations at MWC Barcelona 2025
Visitors to MWC Barcelona 2025 can experience firsthand the groundbreaking AI innovations resulting from this collaboration at Qualcomm’s booth (Booth #3E10, Hall 3, Fira Gran Via). Demonstrations will highlight how Qualcomm and IBM are driving AI advancements across industries, from edge devices to cloud platforms.
