"Leveraging Generative AI for Mainframe Application Modernization to Cloud-Based Architectures"

"Mainframe platforms continue to support missioncriticalenterprise workloads; however, growing requirementsfor scalability, agility, and cost efficiency are accelerating theadoption of cloud-native architectures. Modernization of legacyCOBOL-based systems remains challenging due to monolithicprogram structures, complex interdependencies, and limiteddocumentation. This paper proposes a Generative Artificial Intelligence(GenAI)-driven modernization framework that systematicallytransforms simple and complex COBOL, COBOL\/DB2,and batch-oriented mainframe applications into cloud-readymicroservices. The framework integrates automated applicationassessment, semantic code understanding, business rule extraction,AI-assisted refactoring, and cloud-native service generation.Experimental evaluation using representative enterprise batchapplications demonstrates significant reductions in manual effortand modernization cycle time while preserving business semantics.The proposed approach enables incremental, scalable, andlow-risk migration of legacy systems to cloud-based architectures."