Rocket Software adds AI tools for IBM i modernisation

Rocket Software has added artificial intelligence features to its application modernisation portfolio for IBM i, IBM Z, MultiValue and Uniface environments. The update covers development, operations and replication tools.

The additions include AI-based code analysis, AI-generated unit testing, AIOps functions, replication tuning and governed AI features for organisations running long-established business systems.

Rocket is targeting platforms that remain central to many large companies but often face skills shortages and ageing development processes. Its tools are intended to help teams modernise applications while working within existing workflows and business logic.

Among the main additions are AI functions for application development across IBM i, IBM Z, MultiValue and Uniface. These include code analysis and support for development workflows through integrations with cross-platform integrated development environments and continuous integration and delivery pipelines.

Rocket also highlighted AI-generated unit testing for IBM i environments, which it said can raise code coverage beyond 90% while helping teams find issues earlier in the development cycle through links with Git and Azure Pipelines.

Skills pressure

The launch comes as many organisations try to update core software while managing a shortage of specialist staff. Rocket cited Linux Foundation research showing that 57% of organisations see upskilling existing employees as their main response to technical talent gaps, ahead of hiring new technical staff.

That context helps explain its emphasis on tools for developers with varying levels of experience. Rocket is extending AI-assisted workflows to make established platforms easier for newer and less specialised teams to use.

On the operations side, the company introduced Rocket iCluster AI Tuner, designed to improve replication performance through AI-led analysis. The tool can identify latency and throughput bottlenecks and support high-availability and disaster recovery operations by improving recovery time and recovery point objectives.

Governance focus

Rocket also emphasised oversight and control around the use of AI in core systems. Its AI policies are overseen by an internal AI Governance Board, with a focus on safe and ethical use.

For MultiValue and Uniface users, Rocket is embedding governed and explainable AI into application platforms so customers can modernise systems without abandoning existing architectures. These tools are intended to work across hybrid environments and containerised deployments.

"Today the value of AI is measured by how confidently organisations can apply it to their most critical systems," said Puneet Kohli, President of the Application Modernisation Business Unit at Rocket Software.

"By embedding governed, explainable AI directly into the platforms and workflows our customers already trust, we're helping organisations accelerate modernisation, extend the value of existing technology investments, and equip developers of all skill levels to confidently support mission-critical applications," Kohli said.

Industry analysts have increasingly focused on testing automation and AI support in software delivery, particularly for environments that have traditionally sat outside mainstream DevOps practices. That includes IBM i estates, where development teams often balance old code bases with demands for faster release cycles.

"AI is rapidly transforming how organisations approach software quality and delivery, with automated testing emerging as a key enabler of more mature DevOps practices. The ability to generate unit tests and increase code coverage at scale not only reduces manual effort but also helps teams identify issues earlier in the development lifecycle. As enterprises extend CI/CD into traditionally complex environments like IBM i, innovations such as AI-driven testing and analysis will play a critical role in improving both speed and confidence in delivery," said Jim Mercer, Program Vice President, Software Development, DevOps and DevSecOps, IDC Research.

The new functions are part of a wider effort to extend AI across the core platforms used by Rocket's customer base, which includes more than 13,500 customers and 850 partners worldwide.