AI Mainframe: Redefining Infrastructure for the Digital Era

In today’s world, however, infrastructure leaders are looking beyond operational stability. The combination of AI and mainframe systems is giving rise to platforms that do more than run transactions, they can extract insights in real time, reduce downtime, and ensure secure, scalable operations.

For Heads of Infrastructure, this evolution is a strategic opportunity to modernize without disruption, balancing performance, reliability, and innovation.

Why AI Mainframe Matters for Heads of Infrastructure

Mainframes are renowned for their unmatched processing power and ability to handle massive volumes of data. This makes them an ideal environment for complex AI workloads.

By embedding AI directly into the mainframe, organizations can:

• Optimize system resilience by predicting failures before they occur.
• Reduce costs through automation of code testing and maintenance.
• Accelerate fraud detection and decision-making in financial transactions.
• Free up developers to focus on innovation rather than legacy system upkeep.

AI Mainframe for Fraud Detection and Risk Management

Real-Time Transactional Security

Fraud is one of the top concerns for infrastructure leaders, especially in financial services and retail. By running AI models directly on the mainframe, where both transactional data and execution occur, latency is minimized.

This enables real-time fraud detection, with AI models analyzing patterns instantly and flagging suspicious behavior before damage occurs.

• Automated credit decisions
• Real-time loan modifications
• Continuous monitoring of 100% of transactions

For example, by retrofitting DXC’s Hogan banking system with IBM’s Telum chip, banks can perform AI-driven fraud detection on every transaction. The potential impact is enormous, up to $120M yearly savings for a tier-1 bank.

AI Mainframe for Infrastructure Agility

Supporting Developers and Operations Teams

One of the biggest challenges Heads of Infrastructure face is managing complex, monolithic mainframe applications with shrinking talent pools. With fewer developers trained in COBOL and legacy languages, AI becomes a lifeline.

By embedding AI into the development process, organizations can:

• Automate code restructuring and testing.
• Translate code between languages with zero errors.
• Accelerate new application builds.
• Improve overall system performance.

This not only ensures resilience but also empowers developers to work on high-value tasks like infrastructure modernization and innovation delivery.

Closing the Skills Gap: Training for AI Mainframe Success

Modernizing mainframes is as much about people as it is about technology. Addressing the skills gap is critical for long-term infrastructure sustainability.

Programs like DXC’s Mainframe Academy prepare engineers with the AI and mainframe expertise required to maintain, modernize, and secure critical infrastructure.

For Heads of Infrastructure, investing in training means unlocking new talent pools and reducing reliance on shrinking legacy skill sets.

Proactive Infrastructure: AI Mainframe in Operations

Downtime can cost millions and damage reputations. By integrating AI into mainframe operations, organizations can:

• Predict outages before they happen.
• Automate recovery to minimize downtime.
• Expand labor capacity, reducing reliance on specialized skills.

This results in a more cost-effective, resilient, and proactive approach to infrastructure management, something every Head of Infrastructure is tasked with delivering.

The Big Picture: AI and Mainframe as Strategic Assets

Mainframes have long been the silent giants of IT. Now, by teaming up with AI, they are transforming into platforms that power smarter operations, protect against fraud, and drive innovation.

At VISEO, our consulting and engineering experts help enterprises put AI mainframe technologies to work across industries, ensuring modernized infrastructure that is both reliable and future-ready.

For Heads of Infrastructure, the AI mainframe era is not just about maintaining systems, it’s about creating a competitive advantage.