IBM
Overview
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, New York. Founded in 1911 as the Computing‑Tabulating‑Recording Company (CTR), it was renamed IBM in 1924. IBM is one of the world’s oldest and largest technology companies, known for pioneering mainframe computers, the personal computer, and advancements in artificial intelligence.
History
IBM traces its roots to four separate companies: the Tabulating Machine Company (founded by Herman Hollerith), the International Time Recording Company, the Computing Scale Company, and the Bundy Manufacturing Company. These merged in 1911 to form CTR. Under the leadership of Thomas J. Watson, the company adopted the name IBM in 1924 and focused on large‑scale tabulating equipment.
During the 1950s and 1960s, IBM dominated the computer industry with its System/360 family of mainframes, which introduced a compatible architecture that became an industry standard. The company later developed the IBM Personal Computer (PC) in 1981, which popularized the open‑architecture model and led to the rise of compatible systems from other manufacturers.
In the 1990s, IBM shifted from hardware to services and software, acquiring companies such as Lotus Development and PwC Consulting. The 2000s saw IBM invest heavily in cloud computing, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence with its Watson platform.
Products and services
IBM offers a broad range of products and services, including:
- Mainframe computers (e.g., IBM Z series)
- Servers (e.g., IBM Power Systems)
- Cloud computing platforms (IBM Cloud)
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning (IBM Watson)
- Quantum computing (IBM Quantum)
- Business consulting and IT services
- Enterprise software (WebSphere, DB2, Rational)
The company also holds one of the largest patent portfolios in the world, regularly leading annual U.S. patent rankings.