“With AI, it’s not just about answering questions; it is about transforming how enterprises think, act, and scale.”
With only a week left until the IBM TechXchange 2025 Conference, the Speaker Spotlight Series continues bringing you behind-the-scenes conversations with innovators who are shaping the most cutting-edge technology. Today's spotlight turns to Ashok Kumar, Program Director at IBM, and Martin Oberhofer, VP of Software Development, as they reveal how agentic AI is revolutionizing data systems and why DB2 is poised for its boldest transformation yet!
AI: Cutting Through the Noise
AI is not new but the sudden rise of these large language models has resulted in both increased excitement and anxiety. Ashok understands this rising tension and addresses it head-on:
“With LLMs, a lot will be automated, but the challenge is making it secure, reliable, and truly valuable for our clients.”
He states that the misconception relies on people thinking AI is a miracle worker; however, that is not the case. Instead, the power of AI comes from how it is used and applied in the different aspects of business. Martin agrees and insists that AI is not an independent tool but rather an amplifier of human capability:
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For Administrators - AI reduces repetitive work and lowers the cost of ownership.
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For Business Users - AI allows for faster insights, finding the right information in a sea of data.
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For Specialized Fields - AI empowers breakthroughs, from healthcare patterns to financial advice
All of these fields experience more efficiency, but the impact is felt differently in each industry.
DB2 Reimagined: The Agentic Approach
At the IBM TechXchange 2025 Conference, Ashok’s DB2 Generative AI session showcases what happens when AI is not just an add-on but an integral part of the system. This session showcases when DB2’s agentic AI actively works with the database itself:
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Smarter Troubleshooting - Detecting bottlenecks caused by memory or CPU strain.
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Deadlock Detection - Stopping potential conflicts.
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Contextual Conversations - Carrying a dialogue with your database
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Beyond RAG - Providing answers from your instance, not a separate repository
This results in DBAs reclaiming more to focus on innovation. Time that was once lost to repetitive administration tasks.
Building Smarter Systems, Inside and Out
The innovation goes beyond DB2 with Ashok’s team also showcasing:
Martin also highlights just how IBM itself is evolving with agent focused coding and AI centered software engineering. It is not just about what AI can deliver to clients but about transforming the very foundations upon which IBM builds its technology.
Why This Matters Now
Both tech leaders stressed that this conference is not just about hype, it is about preparation! AI is advancing quick as light and the TechXchange conference is where you can begin to understand where it is heading. Ashok summed it up clearly:
“If you want to see what IBM innovation looks like, TechXchange is the place to go.”
Martin put it even more directly:
“Look at the value of agentic AI for your enterprise.”
📅 Watch Ashok Kumat & Martin Oberhofer at the IBM TechXchange Conference 2025, October 6 to 9 in Orlando, Florida
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