Accelerating Legacy Modernization with Generative AI: From Mainframe to Cloud-Native with Ask Bode
Modernizing legacy applications is one of the most pressing challenges facing large enterprises today. Decades-old mainframe systems, while reliable, often hinder agility, innovation, and cost efficiency. The journey from monolithic, on-premises architectures to modern, cloud-native platforms is complex, resource-intensive, and fraught with risk. Enter generative AI—specifically, Ask Bode from Publicis Sapient—a transformative solution that is redefining how organizations approach legacy modernization.
The Legacy Modernization Imperative
Legacy systems are the backbone of many mission-critical business processes, but their limitations are increasingly apparent. They are costly to maintain, difficult to scale, and often lack the flexibility required to support digital transformation. For organizations seeking to unlock new value, reduce operational costs, and accelerate innovation, modernizing these systems is no longer optional—it’s essential.
Generative AI: A Game-Changer for Application Modernization
Generative AI, powered by large language models (LLMs), is revolutionizing the modernization process. Ask Bode, Publicis Sapient’s enterprise-grade generative AI solution, leverages the latest advancements in AI to analyze, deconstruct, and refactor legacy codebases with unprecedented speed and accuracy. By automating key steps in the modernization journey, Ask Bode enables organizations to:
- Comprehend and decode complex legacy programs: AI models rapidly analyze mainframe code, uncovering business logic, dependencies, and data flows that would take human teams months to document.
- Generate functional specifications and documentation: Ask Bode automates the creation of detailed, traceable documentation, improving transparency and reducing the risk of knowledge loss.
- Refactor and transition code to modern architectures: The platform assists in translating legacy code into modern languages and frameworks, supporting cloud-native deployment and future-proofing applications.
- Automate testing and validation: AI-generated unit tests and automation scripts accelerate quality assurance, ensuring that modernized applications meet business and technical requirements.
The Ask Bode Advantage: Speed, Quality, and Measurable Outcomes
Ask Bode is not a black box. Its “glass box” approach means every step is transparent, customizable, and designed to integrate seamlessly with your existing tools and workflows. Hosted on leading cloud platforms and built on Publicis Sapient’s award-winning Bode platform, Ask Bode delivers:
- 3x Faster Migration Timelines: For a global Fortune 500 company, Ask Bode enabled cloud developers to use private LLMs to deconstruct legacy mainframe programs, resulting in migration efforts that were three times faster than traditional methods.
- Reduced Costs and Effort: By automating code analysis, documentation, and refactoring, organizations have significantly lowered the manual effort required, translating into substantial cost savings.
- Improved Maintainability and Quality: The generation of functional specifications and automated test cases ensures that modernized applications are easier to maintain, enhance, and audit—laying the foundation for continuous innovation.
Real-World Impact: Client Success Stories
- Global Fortune 500 Modernization: Facing the imperative to accelerate mainframe modernization, a Fortune 500 enterprise partnered with Publicis Sapient to deploy Ask Bode. The solution enabled cloud developers to deconstruct legacy programs using private AI models, fine-tune operationalization through iterative sprints, and deliver functional specifications that improved traceability and quality. The result: a threefold increase in migration speed, reduced effort, and a modern tech stack that is easier to maintain and enhance.
- Industry-Wide Efficiency Gains: Across more than 100 end-to-end modernization experiments, Publicis Sapient’s generative AI accelerators—combined with platforms like PSChat and Bodhi—have consistently delivered faster timelines, lower costs, and higher-quality outcomes for clients in insurance, financial services, and beyond.
A Proven, Responsible Approach
Publicis Sapient’s approach to generative AI-driven modernization is holistic and responsible. Every engagement is guided by best practices in responsible AI, data privacy, and security. Human experts remain in the loop, ensuring that AI-generated outputs are validated, compliant, and aligned with business objectives. Our SPEED framework—Strategy, Product, Experience, Engineering, Data & AI—ensures that every modernization initiative is strategically aligned, technically robust, and engineered for scale.
Why Publicis Sapient?
With over 30 years of digital transformation experience, Publicis Sapient is uniquely positioned to help organizations unlock the full potential of generative AI for legacy modernization. Our differentiators include:
- End-to-end partnership: From readiness assessment and strategy to rapid prototyping, implementation, and scaling, we guide clients through every stage of their modernization journey.
- Industry-specific accelerators: Ask Bode and our suite of AI tools are designed for speed, security, and compliance, tailored to the unique needs of each client.
- Measurable, responsible outcomes: We focus relentlessly on delivering tangible business value—faster migration, reduced costs, improved maintainability, and enhanced agility—while embedding ethics and governance at every step.
Ready to Accelerate Your Modernization Journey?
Generative AI, powered by Ask Bode, is transforming the way enterprises modernize legacy applications. Whether you’re looking to migrate from mainframe to cloud-native, automate documentation, or future-proof your technology stack, Publicis Sapient is your trusted partner for AI-driven modernization—securely, responsibly, and at speed.
Connect with our experts to discover how Ask Bode can unlock new value for your business and accelerate your path to a modern, agile enterprise.