Kyndryl expands partnership with Google Cloud to accelerate mainframe modernization for customers with generative AI

Rhea-AI Summary

Kyndryl (NYSE: KD) has expanded its partnership with Google Cloud to accelerate mainframe modernization using generative AI. The company has been certified as a specialized partner for Google Cloud's AI and Gemini models.

The partnership introduces a new Mainframe Modernization with Gen AI Accelerator Program for qualified customers, offering modernization assessment without upfront commitments. Key features include:

• Integration of mainframe data with Google Cloud BigQuery analytics
• AI-driven code analysis and documentation
• Mainframe application rewrite to modern cloud applications
• Testing and risk mitigation services

According to Kyndryl's 2024 Mainframe Modernization Survey, 96% of organizations are migrating mainframe workloads to the cloud (average 36%), while 86% are rapidly adopting AI for modernization. The partnership has already shown success, with a major insurance provider successfully converting COBOL to Java and migrating mainframe applications to Google Distributed Cloud.

Positive

• Achieved specialized partner certification for Google Cloud's AI and Gemini models
• New Gen AI Accelerator Program launched without upfront commitments
• Successful implementation with major insurance provider demonstrates proven results
• Strong market validation with 96% of organizations moving to cloud modernization

Negative

• None.

Insights

Technology Integration Specialist

This expanded partnership between Kyndryl and Google Cloud represents a strategic enhancement of Kyndryl's mainframe modernization capabilities through generative AI integration. The certification as a specialized partner for Google Cloud's Gemini models gives Kyndryl a valuable differentiation point in the competitive mainframe services landscape.

The new Mainframe Modernization with Gen AI Accelerator Program addresses critical market barriers by eliminating upfront commitments and providing clear ROI visibility – essentially lowering the risk threshold for enterprises hesitant to begin modernization journeys. This approach could accelerate Kyndryl's customer acquisition cycle in this segment.

Technically, the integration creates several compelling capabilities: mainframe data extraction to Google Cloud services (BigQuery, Cloud Run, Cloud SQL), AI-driven code analysis/documentation, and COBOL-to-Java conversion pathways. These solve the dual problems many enterprises face: inaccessible mainframe data and shrinking pools of mainframe talent.

Kyndryl's own research showing 96% of organizations already migrating some mainframe workloads validates the market need. The 86% adoption rate of AI for modernization indicates they're targeting the right technological approach. The insurance provider implementation demonstrates real-world application rather than theoretical capabilities.

Enterprise IT Transformation Analyst

This partnership expansion establishes Kyndryl as an early mover in applying generative AI to the mainframe modernization challenge – positioning them at the intersection of legacy systems expertise and cutting-edge AI capabilities. The market timing appears optimal based on Kyndryl's survey showing 96% of organizations already engaging in mainframe-to-cloud migration.

The strategic significance lies in how this partnership transforms Kyndryl's business model from traditional infrastructure management toward higher-value AI-enabled transformation services. By implementing phased modernization with demonstrable incremental value, they've created an approach that addresses the risk aversion typical among mainframe-dependent enterprises.

The concrete benefits for customers are compelling: unlocking mainframe data for analytics, enabling AI model training on previously siloed information, and modernizing applications while reducing risk. The insurance provider case study showing COBOL-to-Java conversion validates their execution capability.

What makes this particularly valuable is how it addresses the widening mainframe skills gap through automation. As mainframe experts retire, generative AI can capture and transform their knowledge – essentially preserving institutional knowledge while enabling modernization. This solves a critical business continuity challenge for Kyndryl's target customers while opening new revenue opportunities in cloud transformation services.

 Kyndryl certified as a specialized Google Cloud partner for Gemini models

NEW YORK and SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kyndryl (NYSE: KD), the world's largest IT infrastructure services provider, today announced an expanded partnership with Google Cloud to leverage generative AI to help streamline and accelerate the modernization of mainframe applications and data. As part of the partnership, Kyndryl has been certified as a specialized partner for Google Cloud's AI and Gemini models.

The combination of Kyndryl's deep mainframe expertise and skills with Google Cloud's generative AI capabilities will provide customers with a trusted path to modernize their mainframe applications, increase agility and drive cloud-native innovation.

"Google's Gemini models and related tools are bringing new levels of efficiency to mainframe modernization efforts," said Nirav Mehta, Senior Director of Cloud Infrastructure Solutions at Google Cloud. "Combined with Kyndryl's long-standing experience with mainframes, our mutual customers will have the expertise and leading technology to successfully modernize mainframe applications faster and with more sustainable code." 

Kyndryl is partnering with Google Cloud offering a new Mainframe Modernization with Gen AI Accelerator Program to help qualified customers start their modernization journey without upfront commitments, and gain a clear understanding of how to integrate or modernize their applications and data faster and with tangible ROI. Following the assessment, customers receive a modernization blueprint and plan, and Kyndryl Consult experts will guide customers through a phased modernization approach to demonstrate incremental value and allow them to make informed decisions about their mainframe workloads.

"Google Cloud delivers the scalability and cutting-edge AI-driven capabilities needed to power and transform modern businesses," said Petra Goude, Global Practice Leader for Core Enterprise & zCloud at Kyndryl. "Through our collaboration, customers can unlock the full potential of their mainframe data, create AI-driven innovations and transform mainframe applications to modern cloud applications with lower risk and faster time to value."

Kyndryl's data democratization capabilities combined with Google Cloud's Mainframe Connector solution enable the integration and augmentation of mainframe data with Google Cloud's BigQuery analytics platform. This integration helps customers unlock and leverage their data in new ways, including:

• Bringing mainframe data into Google Cloud BigQuery, Cloud Run, Cloud SQL and more to unlock its full potential.
• Building dynamic reports and dashboards to enhance decision-making with increased insights.
• Training AI models to create predictive and generative AI solutions, driving innovation and operational efficiency.

Kyndryl's mainframe modernization capabilities and Google Cloud's suite of modernization products, including Mainframe Assessment Tool (MAT), Dual Run, Mainframe Rewrite and Gemini models, enable the streamlined migration of mainframe workloads to the cloud. This comprehensive approach includes:

• Generative AI-driven code analysis and documentation of mainframe applications.
• Rewrite of mainframe applications to modern applications in Google Cloud built for the age of cloud computing.
• Creation of future-ready technology stacks optimized for Google Cloud.
• Testing, certification and de-risking of the modernization project.

Kyndryl and Google Cloud are already delivering joint mainframe modernization projects to customers across industries. For example, the companies partnered to enable mainframe modernization at a major insurance provider, converting COBOL to Java and migrating its mainframe applications to Google Distributed Cloud. This allowed the customer to meet its digital transformation goals while addressing its mainframe skills shortage and data residency regulatory requirements.

According to Kyndryl's 2024 Mainframe Modernization Survey, 96% of organizations are migrating some mainframe workloads, on average 36%, to the cloud. Additionally, 86% of organizations are moving fast to adopt AI to accelerate mainframe modernization. Almost half of respondents aim to use generative AI to unlock and transform critical mainframe data into actionable insights. Kyndryl and Google Cloud are already working together to help customers on their digital transformation and AI adoption efforts to future-proof their IT environment.

For more information about Kyndryl and Google Cloud's alliance and mainframe modernization initiatives, please visit: https://www.kyndryl.com/us/en/about-us/alliances/google-cloud.

About Kyndryl 
Kyndryl (NYSE: KD) is the world's largest IT infrastructure services provider, serving thousands of enterprise customers in more than 60 countries. The company designs, builds, manages and modernizes the complex, mission-critical information systems that the world depends on every day. For more information, please visit: www.kyndryl.com.

Kyndryl Press Contact
press@kyndryl.com 

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SOURCE Kyndryl

FAQ

What are the key benefits of Kyndryl's (KD) expanded partnership with Google Cloud?

The partnership combines Kyndryl's mainframe expertise with Google Cloud's AI capabilities to modernize mainframe applications, increase agility, and enable cloud-native innovation with Gemini models.

How does Kyndryl's (KD) Gen AI Accelerator Program work for mainframe modernization?

The program offers qualified customers a no-upfront-commitment assessment, providing a modernization blueprint and phased approach guided by Kyndryl Consult experts.

What percentage of organizations are migrating mainframe workloads according to Kyndryl's 2024 survey?

96% of organizations are migrating mainframe workloads, with an average of 36% being moved to the cloud.

How does Kyndryl (KD) integrate mainframe data with Google Cloud services?

Kyndryl uses Google Cloud's Mainframe Connector to integrate mainframe data with BigQuery, Cloud Run, and Cloud SQL for analytics and AI model training.

What success has the Kyndryl (KD) and Google Cloud partnership achieved so far?

They successfully helped a major insurance provider convert COBOL to Java and migrate mainframe applications to Google Distributed Cloud, addressing skills shortage and regulatory requirements.