LTO tape storage for AI data archiving protects long-term data by keeping backup copies offline and beyond the reach of many cyberattacks. Fujifilm plans to invest roughly 10 billion yen (about $63 million) to expand tape production capacity fivefold as generative AI drives demand for low-cost storage.

Key takeaways

• Fujifilm plans to increase tape production capacity fivefold compared with fiscal year 2025 production levels.
• The roughly 10 billion yen investment will run from fiscal years 2026 through 2028.
• Offline tape cartridges can help protect backup data from ransomware that targets connected systems.
• Fujifilm says major cloud service and data center operators are expanding their use of magnetic tape.

Why is AI increasing demand for magnetic tape?

Generative AI is increasing demand for magnetic tape because organizations need to keep growing volumes of data at a manageable cost.

In its announcement released Thursday, Fujifilm linked rising archiving demand to the spread of generative AI. The company described “exponential growth” in data needs worldwide. Not every file needs to remain on fast, always-connected storage, especially when an organization keeps it mainly for backup or future use.

That is where LTO tape storage for AI data archiving fits. Tape serves as a long-term storage layer rather than a replacement for the fast systems that run active AI workloads. Fujifilm says major cloud service and data center operators are expanding tape use because it can hold large data volumes at relatively low cost.

Consumers may associate tape with old music and video formats. Enterprise operators never stopped using it to protect large stores of information.

How does LTO tape storage for AI data archiving protect data?

LTO tape storage for AI data archiving protects backup copies by allowing organizations to disconnect cartridges from their networks.

This separation is called an air gap. Once a cartridge is removed from a connected tape system, it no longer has a direct network path that an attacker can use to reach its contents.

Offline copies provide a defense against ransomware

Ransomware can threaten both working files and backups that remain accessible through compromised systems. An offline tape copy gives an organization another recovery option if attackers damage its connected storage.

Fujifilm highlighted that benefit in its announcement: “Given the sophistication of cyberattacks, magnetic tape is attracting increasing attention as a means of protecting data from threats such as ransomware.”

Tape does not prevent an attack on a live system. Its value is in preserving a separate copy that the organization can use afterward.

Separate storage adds physical protection

Organizations can move tape cartridges to a vault or another facility. Keeping copies away from the main data center can reduce the risk that one local incident destroys both the original data and its backup.

• Disconnect backup cartridges after writing and checking the data.
• Store copies securely, with access limited to authorized staff.
• Keep an off-site copy when protection against a site-wide incident is required.
• Test recovery procedures so staff know that stored data can be restored.

These steps matter because tape alone does not guarantee recovery. A usable backup also needs readable media, compatible equipment, and a tested restore process.

What will Fujifilm’s investment expand?

Fujifilm’s investment will expand manufacturing and add personnel at its Kanagawa Factory, Odawara site, primarily to produce FUJIFILM LTO Ultrium10 tape.

The project will run from fiscal years 2026 through 2028. Fujifilm plans a fivefold increase in production capacity measured against fiscal year 2025 production levels.

The company called the project “the largest investment Fujifilm has made to date in dedicated LTO tape facilities.” The fivefold target refers to production capacity, not the amount of data that a single cartridge can store.

How has Fujifilm’s tape technology changed?

Fujifilm has improved its tape technology through new magnetic materials and successive LTO generations that increase storage capacity.

The company’s work with magnetic tape for data storage dates back to the 1950s. It released its first LTO Ultrium storage tape in 2000 and became the first company to commercially produce tape with barium ferrite magnetic particles in 2011.

In 2025, Fujifilm debuted LTO Ultrium10. According to the company, it was the first tape storage solution to use “fine hybrid magnetic particles,” combining barium ferrite with strontium ferrite technology.

Successive generations, now at Gen 10, have increased both compressed and uncompressed storage limits. Actual benefits from compression depend on the data being stored.

Where does tape fit in an AI storage plan?

Tape fits best as a backup and archive layer for data that does not need immediate access.

Fast storage supports active AI work. Tape supports longer-term retention and offline recovery copies. Organizations should weigh storage cost against retrieval time and keep compatible drives available for restores.

For readers planning long-term backups, LTO tape storage for AI data archiving offers a way to manage growing data volumes while keeping recovery copies offline. Fujifilm’s expansion reflects rising demand, but reliable protection still depends on secure handling, separate storage, and regular recovery tests.

(Source: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/10/fujifilm-to-boost-tape-production-5x-as-ai-fuels-archiving-demand/)

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