<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0508</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2025-03-31</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2025-04-01</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>false</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000051143</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>IBM</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001183474</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FARR DAVID N</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O SECRETARY'S OFFICE, IBM CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>ONE NEW ORCHARD ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ARMONK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10504</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>true</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>false</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>false</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>false</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <aff10b5One>false</aff10b5One>

    <nonDerivativeTable></nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Promised Fee Share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.00</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2025-03-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>237.077</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>248.66</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>237.077</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>21600.077</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Promised Fee Shares under the IBM Board of Directors Deferred Compensation and Equity Award Plan are paid out after retirement in the company's common stock or cash.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Deferral of fees into Promised Fee Shares under the terms of the IBM Board of Directors Deferred Compensation and Equity Award Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">On April 1, 2025, the reporting person filed a Form 4 which, due to administrative error, inadvertently omitted 5.077 Promised Fee Shares from the number of securities acquired on March 31, 2025.  The number of Promised Fee Shares acquired and total holdings as of March 31, 2025 have been updated to reflect these Promised Fee Shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Distribution of Promised Fee Shares under the IBM Board of Directors Deferred Compensation and Equity Award Plan is deferred until retirement.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>L. Mallardi on behalf of D. N. Farr</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2025-12-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
