IBM Introduces New Software to Address Growing Digital Sovereignty Imperative

Core Insights - IBM has announced the launch of IBM Sovereign Core, the first AI-ready sovereign-enabled software designed for enterprises, governments, and service providers to create and manage AI-ready sovereign environments [1][2] - The increasing regulatory requirements and the need for auditable governance are driving organizations to seek self-managed environments where they maintain complete operational authority, especially for AI workloads [2][4] Digital Sovereignty - Digital sovereignty encompasses control over technology environments, data access, governance, and jurisdiction of AI models, extending beyond mere data residency [2][4] - Gartner predicts that over 75% of enterprises will have a digital sovereignty strategy by 2030, often involving sovereign cloud strategies [2] Features of IBM Sovereign Core - IBM Sovereign Core is designed to provide verifiable sovereignty and full operational control, allowing organizations to manage cloud-native and AI workloads under their authority [3][5] - The software ensures that all authentication, authorization, and encryption keys remain within jurisdiction boundaries, under customer control [5] - It enables ongoing compliance with comprehensive operational data and audit trails generated within the sovereign boundary [5] Deployment and Operational Independence - Organizations can deploy IBM Sovereign Core in their preferred environments, including on-premises data centers or supported in-region cloud infrastructure [6] - IBM is collaborating with IT Service Providers, starting with partnerships in Europe, to offer differentiated sovereign services to enterprises [6][7] Availability - IBM Sovereign Core will be available in tech preview starting February 2026, with full general availability planned for mid-year 2026, along with additional capabilities [8]