Lumen Technologies and IBM have teamed up to deliver advanced artificial intelligence solutions at the network edge, blending IBM’s Watsonx AI capabilities with Lumen’s low-latency Edge Cloud infrastructure. This collaboration aims to make real-time AI processing more accessible to enterprises by deploying AI models closer to where data is generated.
The companies believe this edge-focused approach will help businesses reduce costs, minimize latency, and enhance data security—barriers that often complicate large-scale AI deployments. By utilizing Lumen’s edge data centers and its multi-cloud framework, the AI solutions are designed to process and analyze massive data volumes in near real-time. The technology is particularly geared toward industries like financial services, healthcare, retail, and manufacturing.
Lumen’s edge infrastructure reportedly achieves sub-5-millisecond latency, and when integrated with Watsonx, it allows organizations to gain fast, actionable insights without relying heavily on the public cloud. This approach also provides better control over data while enhancing decision-making.
Executives from both companies highlighted the urgency for enterprises to not just experiment with AI but to implement it at scale. Lumen’s Ryan Asdourian emphasized that the partnership will enable faster innovation and smarter customer experiences, while IBM’s Adam Lawrence pointed to the flexibility and security of delivering hybrid cloud AI solutions directly to where the data resides.
Currently, the two firms are working with a retail client to improve customer service by leveraging AI tools like digital assistants and visual inspection technologies. The project is expected to enable more personalized and efficient shopping experiences.
