IBM has announced a new generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) product called Watsonx Code Assistant for Z. The cloud-based service is designed to help developers translate existing COBOL code to Java on IBM Z mainframes.
Watsonx Code Assistant for Z uses AI to support application modernization and IT automation. The resulting Java code will be object-oriented and optimized to interoperate with the rest of the COBOL application, as well as CICS, IMS, DB2, and other z/OS runtimes.
This is the second in a series of watsonx code assistants; the first was IBM watsonx Code Assistant for Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed. The code assistants integrate with Microsoft Visual Studio Code (VS Code), allowing developers to leverage them within a familiar tool.
Trained on CodeNet and fine-tuned using Enterprise Z COBOL, Code Assistant for Z allows customization of underlying models. This grants users insight into code generation origins and ensures adherence to organizational best practices.
Watsonx Code Assistant for Z will debut at the IBM TechXchange in September and will officially launch in Q4 2023. Additionally, IBM will host a webinar on Sept. 21 at 11 am ET, highlighting the watsonx Code Assistant for Z. Registration is required for participation.
The sources for this piece include an article in ITWorldCanada.
