About IBM

IBM punch cards become the industry standard for the next 50 years, holding nearly all of the world’s known information and enabling large-scale projects like the US Census.

IBM works with the government on the US Social Security Act of 1935, tabulating employment records for 26 million Americans — the largest accounting project of its time.

The IBM Type 805 International Test Scoring Machine uses the conductivity of graphite marks to sense fill-in-the-bubble test answers, saving millions of test-scoring hours.

IBM introduces the world to digital storage via magnetic tape data, marking the transition from punched-card calculators to electronic computers.

A heart-lung machine built by IBM enables the world’s first successful open-heart surgery on a human. Millions of lives will be saved each year by this technology.

Arthur L. Samuel programs an IBM 704 to play checkers and learn from its experience. It is considered the first demonstration of artificial intelligence.

Possibly the most influential software product in history, FORTRAN liberates computers from the exclusivity of programmers and opens them to users worldwide.

William C. Dersch demonstrates speech recognition at the World’s Fair. The Shoebox machine converts sounds to electrical impulses, paving the way for Siri, Alexa and Watson AI.

IBM and American Airlines launch the first computer-driven airline reservation system. This is the precursor for all eCommerce today, from eBay to Amazon.

In an epic feat of engineering, IBM builds the computers and software for the Apollo missions, landing Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon and guiding them back to Earth.

IBM’s inception of the magnetic swipe strip changes the way commercial transactions are enacted. An entirely new industry is born, revolutionizing travel and security access.

One of the industry’s most influential products ever, the IBM floppy disc makes storage powerful, affordable and portable. Over 5 billion units will sell.

Supermarkets start scanning UPC bar codes invented by IBMer Norman Woodland. The retail industry is transformed, with UPC codes tracking everything from clothing to cows.

Using a laser so precise it can write on a human hair, IBM earns the first patent for LASIK surgery. More than 30 million people will enjoy improved vision.

The PC revolution begins. With the IBM Personal Computer, computing goes mainstream, beyond hobbyists and into the realm of common household commodity.

IBM scientists win the Nobel Prize for the scanning tunnel microscope. The impact on microelectronics and nanotechnology is global.

IBM Deep Blue supercomputer defeats the best chess player in the world. Thinking computers take a giant leap forward toward the kind of AI that we know and use today.

In an unprecedented demonstration of natural speech recognition and cognitive computing, IBM Watson defeats the champions of the TV quiz show Jeopardy!.

The Summit supercomputer, with a new computing architecture purpose-built for AI, reaches speeds of 200 petaflops, becoming the most powerful processor on the planet.

IBM unveils the first circuit-based commercial quantum computer, allowing users, researchers and developers to explore the potential of quantum to solve real-world problems.