SUSE, a global leader in enterprise open-source solutions, has launched SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 16, marking a significant milestone as the first enterprise Linux to integrate agentic AI. The new release delivers enhanced visibility, automation, and intelligence across IT environments—helping organisations streamline operations, cut costs, and accelerate deployment for mission-critical applications.

At the core of SLES 16 is agentic AI integration built on the Model Context Protocol (MCP) standard. This implementation provides enterprises with a secure and extensible way to connect AI models to external tools and data sources, while maintaining full freedom to choose or expand their preferred AI providers. Designed for long-term resilience, SLES 16 combines enterprise-grade automation with lifecycle guarantees that support both innovation and operational stability.

“Every CIO and CTO today needs to leverage AI to get more out of existing infrastructure, and this cannot come at the cost of being locked into a single ecosystem,” said Rick Spencer, GM of Business Critical Linux at SUSE. “Using AI with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16, IT leaders can drive operational efficiency without hiring new teams or building custom toolchains. SUSE is the first to deliver a built-in, open and extensible AI infrastructure directly within an enterprise operating system. Combined with our historic commitment to security, compliance, and a 16-year lifecycle, this makes SLES 16 the first enterprise Linux that enables both immediate innovation and long-term reliability.”

SLES 16 introduces a framework for embedding intelligence directly into the operating system. Through its MCP-based architecture—available as a technical preview—users can enable AI-powered local administration via the Cockpit web console or command line, simplifying configuration and reducing overhead. The platform also acts as a bridge to any Large Language Model (LLM) provider, ensuring compatibility with emerging AI ecosystems.

Among its standout features, SLES 16 offers one of the **longest support cycles in the industry—16 years—**making it the only enterprise Linux post-2038 ready without disruptive upgrades. It also introduces instant rollback functionality, enabling administrators to revert system changes instantly, and reproducible builds, allowing enterprises to independently verify or rebuild their distributions from source—ensuring transparency and trust at the highest security certification level (EAL4+).

SLES 16, including the SUSE Linux agentic AI implementation, becomes generally available on November 4, 2025. The broader SUSE Linux product family will also roll out tailored editions for specific workloads, including SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 16, SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 16, and SUSE Linux Micro 6.2—each designed to deliver security, performance, and resilience across enterprise, cloud, and edge environments.