IBM launches AI development partner Bob

IBM has announced the general availability of Bob, its AI-driven development partner designed for enterprise software teams.

The platform supports the entire software development lifecycle, spanning planning, coding, testing, deployment and modernisation.

IBM developed Bob to function within existing governance and security requirements, responding to the increasing complexity that enterprises face due to legacy systems, multi-cloud environments, and compliance needs.

Bob operates as an orchestration layer, embedding specialised role-based AI agents throughout the software development process.

It coordinates tools and workflows from discovery through to operations, working within established standards and including human oversight at defined approval points.

IBM claims Bob streamlines software development by integrating role-specific automation and skills with controlled processes, aiming to reduce fragmentation and risk across teams.

Key features include built-in security mechanisms, such as prompt normalisation, sensitive data scanning, real-time policy enforcement, and direct AI red-teaming within development workflows.

The platform documents all actions in real time for auditability, using its command-line interface to ensure transparent and traceable processes.

Bob also employs dynamic multi-model orchestration, routing tasks to suitable AI models, including Anthropic Claude, Mistral open source models, IBM Granite, and others, based on accuracy, performance and cost criteria.

Modernisation tasks are a focus, as IBM estimates a significant portion of enterprise development budgets are devoted to this area.

IBM reports that during testing, Bob enabled Blue Pearl, a cloud solutions provider, to complete a typical 30-day Java upgrade process in three days.

The company states that developers can configure approval workflows to balance automation with human review, supporting compliance and consistency.

IBM introduced Bob internally in June 2025 with an initial group of 100 developers.

According to the company, more than 80,000 IBM staff have now utilised the platform, with self-reported productivity increases averaging 45% for tasks across modernisation, security, and new software projects.

IBM team members highlighted reductions in development time, with some reporting a 70% time saving on selected activities.

IBM Software senior vice president Dinesh Nirmal said: “IBM Bob is how enterprises can move at AI speed without sacrificing the governance and security needs their businesses require.

“Bob was engineered by developers inside IBM for the millions like them worldwide, and it’s the foundation on which enterprises will become truly AI-first.”

Bob is available globally as a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform, offering a 30-day trial and various individual and enterprise licensing plans.

IBM plans to support on-premises deployment for organisations with specific data residency or regulatory requirements.

The company will maintain support for existing code assistant clients, offering a transition path to the new platform.

Last week, IBM reported a net income of $1.2bn for the first quarter of 2026, marking a 15% rise compared to $1.1bn in the same quarter last year.