IBM's investment in artificial intelligence: what does the launch of the AI accelerator and the acquisition of Seek AI mean?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant dream — it is a reality that companies can utilise to transform their businesses and gain a competitive edge. Interest in AI is growing every year, not only in the tech sector, but also in the corporate sector. IBM is one of the most prominent players in this field, having not only created the foundations of cognitive technologies but also continuing to actively invest in AI solutions for business.

IBM is a world leader in helping businesses to grow by using cloud technologies, artificial intelligence and professional advice. It works with clients in over 175 countries to help them make better use of their data, streamline internal processes, reduce costs and stay ahead of the competition.

IBM's innovations in AI, quantum computing and cloud solutions provide companies with flexible, modern and convenient tools for growth. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing reputation as a reliable partner that prioritises transparency, responsibility, inclusivity, and the quality of its services.

On 2 June 2025, IBM took two significant steps in the field of AI: launching an AI accelerator for start-ups and acquiring Seek AI, an innovative developer focused on automating analytics in the business environment. These actions demonstrate that IBM views artificial intelligence as both a tool and a strategic platform for corporate transformation.

In this article, we will examine why investing in AI has become a priority for IBM, the impact of the AI accelerator launch and Seek AI acquisition on the enterprise AI market, and the implications for large companies seeking to lead the way in digital transformation.

What is the IBM AI accelerator, and what is it designed for?

As mentioned above, in June 2025, IBM announced the launch of Watsonx AI Labs, a special AI accelerator aimed at supporting start-ups and companies working on B2B AI solutions. The accelerator provides financial support, technical mentoring, and access to Watsonx, IBM Cloud, and other AI platforms.

The IBM AI Accelerator supports projects with business applications ranging from the automation of routine operations to sophisticated real-time analytics. Particular emphasis is placed on start-ups working with generative AI, opening up opportunities to create new business models based on GPT technologies.

At the core of the IBM ecosystem is Watsonx, an AI platform not only for large companies, but also a comprehensive framework for creating, training, implementing and monitoring AI models in a secure corporate environment. The decision to create the accelerator around Watsonx highlights IBM's strategic intention to develop a powerful environment for Generative AI, incorporating open-source technology, cloud infrastructure, and scalable tools.

By collaborating with start-ups, IBM can simultaneously expand Watsonx functionality, create new AI use cases and integrate promising solutions into IBM Cloud services.

The acquisition of Seek AI is a strategic step towards data-to-insights

Seek AI is a startup specialising in generative AI for business intelligence. Its main product is a system that enables users to create queries in natural language, which are then transformed into automated SQL queries by artificial intelligence. Users quickly receive the processed result. However, Seek AI's technology goes far beyond simply generating queries; it enables full, intuitive interaction with corporate databases, ushering in a new era in the relationship between humans and data.

At the heart of the platform lies Insight Cloud, the world's first analytics marketplace where teams can buy and sell ready-made analytics solutions. It is a true 'analytical app store' that accelerates the transition from data to insights, shortening the path from data collection to informed business decisions.

The platform offers dozens of ready-made applications, ranging from consumer basket analysis to identifying market trends, all of which are available on a flexible subscription basis with instant access to results.

Insight Cloud connects innovators and businesses, enabling companies to gain in-depth insights in record time. Thanks to its expertly developed applications, AI analytics and convenient access model, the platform helps users make smart, data-driven decisions and maximise the ROI of their analytics. It is therefore not surprising that it is already being actively used by innovative companies in the retail and financial sectors, opening up new possibilities for the use of AI in financial data analysis.

Now, even non-specialists can formulate database queries using ordinary language. This significantly reduces response times, lightens the workload of IT departments, and makes analytics accessible to a wider range of users.

Seek AI's integration into the Watsonx ecosystem combines the capabilities of generative AI, GPT analytics and cognitive analysis tools. This provides businesses with a powerful toolkit for automated data processing, from generating natural language SQL queries to performing complex, real-time analyses of large amounts of information. Watsonx complements Seek AI's capabilities with highly accurate AI models, built-in support for natural language processing (NLP) and advanced security and scalability. As a result, analytics teams can transform raw data into actionable insights more quickly, thereby improving the effectiveness of business decisions and accelerating the transition to the Data-to-Insights model.

Benefits for IBM enterprise customers:

The launch of watsonx AI Labs in New York City and the acquisition of Seek AI technology present IBM enterprise customers with a wide range of opportunities to utilise artificial intelligence. This is more than just an investment in infrastructure — it's a strategic move that will significantly accelerate access to analytics, increase business agility and deliver practical AI results.

Key benefits include:

• Reduced time to access analytics. Seek AI and GPT Analytics allow users to formulate natural language queries and receive relevant answers instantly from databases. This significantly reduces the workload of analytical teams and speeds up decision-making.
• Workflow automation. Watsonx and Seek AI solutions automate routine operations such as reporting, query processing and insight discovery, thereby increasing the efficiency of the entire organisation.
• Secure use in enterprise environments. IBM platforms meet stringent cybersecurity and privacy requirements, particularly in the banking sector where high levels of accuracy, confidentiality and regulatory compliance are essential.
• Integration with existing systems. Watsonx can easily be combined with popular enterprise platforms, providing a seamless transition to AI analytics without the need to transform the IT infrastructure completely.

Watsonx AI Labs will also serve as a platform for the joint development of industry solutions, in partnership with leading enterprises, universities, research centres and AI start-ups. Companies working on innovative solutions in the lab will be able to receive mentoring support and access IBM's global technical resources and potential funding.

This will result in a faster path from data to insights, shorter solution development times and a more adaptive, intelligent business environment in which AI is not a hypothetical future, but a real tool for influencing the present.

How is this changing the AI market?

IBM's investment in AI is shifting the market from one-size-fits-all solutions to specialised, deeply integrated ones that address specific business needs. Unlike Google, Microsoft or Amazon AWS, which focus on both the B2C and B2B segments, IBM is focusing on enterprise AI. This allows the company to work more closely with specific industry sectors, ranging from banking to pharmaceuticals.

IBM's focus on generative AI in enterprise environments means it is doing more than adapting language models to business needs; it is creating a comprehensive ecosystem of AI solutions that use artificial intelligence in the cloud. Watsonx is not only a tool, but also a platform on which companies can build their applications, agent systems and analytical processes. This paves the way for large-scale automation, with internal queries, analytics, reporting and customer support operating in semi-autonomous mode.

Rather than taking a mass-market approach, IBM focuses on the specific needs of large organisations, such as the need for privacy, regulatory compliance, flexible integration with existing systems and scalability. This creates a niche in which IBM acts not only as a technology provider but also as an architect of corporate AI strategy.

Another important factor in IBM's market influence is its partnership model for AI development: the company actively collaborates with integrators, cloud providers and start-ups, particularly in regulated industries. In the financial sector, for example, Watsonx-based solutions are already being used to automate audits, monitor transactions, and generate reports based on natural language.

Thus, IBM not only fits into the general AI market, but also develops IBM cognitive technologies that consider the context, industry and specifics of corporate data.

What's next? IBM's plans for AI

Over the next few years, the company plans to actively expand the Watsonx ecosystem by integrating generative AI for business and making it accessible to both large corporations and SMEs. The company is developing an open, scalable AI infrastructure that enables businesses to respond to new challenges more quickly and achieve tangible results.

Key areas of focus include:

• Expanding Watsonx as the AI core of corporate solutions.

• Supporting startups through accelerators, research initiatives, and partnership programmes.

• Deepening cooperation with industry leaders and cloud providers.

• Focus on highly regulated sectors such as healthcare, finance, and telecommunications.

The new AI lab in New York plays an important role in the implementation of these plans, having already become an entry point for innovative solutions. IBM aims to harness the potential of the local ecosystem by attracting young talent, collaborating with universities and research institutions, and supporting entrepreneurs. Over the next five years, start-ups that can demonstrate the effectiveness of their AI solutions based on Watsonx will have the opportunity to access technical experts, mentoring support and, most importantly, funding from the $500 million global Enterprise AI Venture Fund.

Therefore, IBM is not only developing technologies, but also forming an entire ecosystem in which AI drives growth, innovation and new business models.

Conclusion

IBM's investment in artificial intelligence is a strategic bet on the future of corporate transformation, not just another trend. The launch of the AI accelerator enables the company to identify new talent and technologies, while the acquisition of Seek AI complements the Watsonx ecosystem with practical tools that are already transforming the way we interact with data and make business decisions.

IBM takes a consistent approach to developing enterprise AI, from supporting innovations through accelerators to integrating ready-made solutions into cloud infrastructure. This enables the company to implement AI technologies and create a comprehensive AI ecosystem with open-source solutions, partner support and a focus on regulated industries, including finance, healthcare and the public sector.

In a world where information is power and speed is an advantage, IBM is offering more than just another automation tool: it is providing a flexible, secure and scalable platform for generative analysis, data interaction and innovation. Watsonx is becoming the centre of gravity for companies looking to transition from data collection to informed decision-making quickly and transparently, while maintaining a high level of trust.

IBM is therefore not only among the market leaders, but is also setting new standards for enterprise AI, where specialisation, industry-specific requirements, integration flexibility and practical efficiency are the main values. For businesses focused on digital transformation, IBM is not just a technology partner but an architect of the new AI economy.