IBM has unveiled Code Assistant for IBM Z, an AI model that translates COBOL code into Java. The tool aims to modernize COBOL apps while maintaining performance and security. Code Assistant, powered by the code-generating model CodeNet, can understand around 80 different programming languages. It is set to become available in Q4 2023, with a preview at IBM’s TechXchange conference in September. Despite potential vulnerabilities, IBM sees such tools as crucial for its growth, with 84% of its mainframe customers currently using COBOL.