IBM has announced a strategic partnership with OpenAI to help enterprises deliver business outcomes by deploying AI at scale across core business operations and complex workflows, while strengthening cyber defense and resilience through programs like OpenAI Daybreak. The partnership includes joint go-to-market initiatives and creating industry-specific solutions.
IBM partners with OpenAI to embed GPT-5.6 and Codex into IBM Consulting Advantage.
Launches dedicated OpenAI Practice with thousands of trained consultants and engineers.
Forward-deployed units will work directly with clients on AI implementation.
Focus on legacy transformation, application modernization, and cybersecurity.
IBM joins OpenAI's Elite partner tier.
Includes industry-specific solutions for financial services, government, telecom, and retail.
The partnership embeds OpenAI frontier models like GPT-5.6 and products like Codex and ChatGPT Work into IBM Consulting Advantage, IBM's AI platform for delivering consulting services to clients, combining AI agents, industry assets, and cybersecurity capabilities to help organizations securely deploy AI at scale, drive business outcomes, and create new commercial models. IBM will bring forward-deployed units of highly specialized engineers and consultants trained through the OpenAI Partner Network to work directly with clients to accelerate AI implementation across complex business workflows and highly regulated environments.
The partnership will focus on transforming legacy operations into AI-ready workflows by embedding OpenAI frontier models into IBM Consulting Advantage to analyze operating procedures and identify inefficiencies; application modernization and product development by bringing together OpenAI Codex and ChatGPT Work with IBM's industry and technology expertise; and cybersecurity and AI risk management by combining OpenAI frontier AI capabilities with IBM Autonomous Security for coordinated decision-making and response at machine speed. IBM will launch a dedicated OpenAI Practice with thousands of consultants and engineers obtaining expert-level certifications under the OpenAI Partner Network.
"While enterprises are rapidly investing in AI, they are looking for practical ways to apply it across their core operations to deliver measurable business outcomes and create new commercial models," said Andy Baldwin, Global Senior Vice President, IBM Consulting. "The challenge is not access to AI technologies — it's integrating AI securely and at scale into complex enterprise environments and workflows. By embedding OpenAI's technology with IBM Consulting's AI assets, industry solutions, and cybersecurity capabilities, we can help clients accelerate secure AI deployments at scale."
"The organizations pulling ahead with AI are the ones turning it into a trusted part of how their business operates," said Denise Dresser, Chief Revenue Officer at OpenAI. "IBM Consulting and OpenAI are helping organizations make that shift, combining deep transformation expertise to deploy AI that is secure, operational, and aligned with real business priorities."
About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs, and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications, and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently, and securely.
