As400 Machine

The AS/400 (IBM i) ecosystem is experiencing a modernization renaissance in 2026, driven by AI integration, Power11 hardware, and a strategic shift toward cloud hybrid models. For the first time, the skills gap has overtaken cybersecurity as the #1 market concern, fueling demand for AI-powered refactoring tools like Watsonx Code Assistant FortraProgrammers.

Market Trends & Insights

• Modernization Boom: Over 70% of businesses plan hardware or software upgrades this year, with 96% of users reporting better ROI than other platforms FortraInformdecisions.
• Development Shift: VS Code has surpassed RDi as the preferred development environment, signaling a push for modern DevOps practices Fortra.
• Industry Resilience: The platform remains critical in Manufacturing, Finance, and Logistics, where it commands a 36.3% market share Informdecisions.
• AI-Powered Continuity: New AI tools are actively bridging the retirement gap of legacy RPG developers by automating code analysis and refactoring ProgrammersTechchannel.

Supplier Landscape

The supplier ecosystem is segmented into primary manufacturers, specialized second-hand dealers, and comprehensive managed service providers:

• Primary & New Hardware: IBM remains the sole manufacturer, supported by Platinum Partners like Mainline and Converge Itjungle.
• Refurbished Specialists: World Data Products and Curvature lead the secondary market for certified pre-owned Power Systems Landbase.
• Cloud & Hosting: Connectria and Skytap dominate the IBM i-as-a-Service (Cloud) market, offering scalable hybrid environments FortraIntegrativesystems.
• Managed Services (MSPs): Kyndryl and Ensono are the top global providers for infrastructure management and OS support.

Detailed lists of verified hardware suppliers, cloud providers, and refurbished dealers are available in the deliverables below.