According to ARCAD software the future of IBM i depends on open-source tools

The IBM i (aka iSeries, AS/400) platform has been embedded in the framework of tens of thousands of organizations for over 30 years, creating the systematic bedrock for businesses who rely on the security, dependability and low administration overhead that characterizes the platform.

As a crucial backend system, the IBM i has been kept uniquely relevant through the past decades thanks to IBM’s embracing and integrating of new open-source tools into the platform as they develop.