It's good that we are seeing more big companies coming on board, it's what is needed for bitcoin to be honest with you to help get the word out there and show other businesses that it's something that can be successful.
This is
not what's happening. IBM is copying Bitcoin's proof-of-work technology to create a smaller, independent, and likely closed-source blockchain for the internet of things. How does this theoretically benefit Bitcoin? IBM said they were going to use the blockchain, aka free advertising in a very technical article that nobody who isn't already interested in Bitcoin would read.
Real benefits: Nothing. The adoption of blockchain-like technologies does not help Bitcoin and has, at best, marginal external benefits.
I agree with BitcoinDream, IBM's business model does not give two shits about Bitcoin when they can just copy the technology, create a black box closed-source program, slap a patent on it, and rent it out for a profit.
Can Bitcoin's MIT license prevent this? I feel like the community telling IBM to fuck off would benefit Bitcoin more than this article has in terms of publicity alone.