Global software and analytics firm, SAS, is embarking on a journey to accelerate its artificial intelligence offerings with an investment of $1 billion over the next three years.
With a stellar revenue of $3.24 billion in 2017, SAS is flexing its financial muscle to push the boundaries of AI innovation.
The whopping $1 billion investment will be focused on various aspects, including direct research and development, specialised line-of-business teams, and targeted industry marketing efforts. This significant funding will support the innovative endeavors of SAS’s data scientists, statisticians, and software developers, collaborating closely with industry-experienced consultants, systems engineers, and marketers.
“Businesses face many challenges, from the threat of economic recession and stressed supply chains to workforce shortages and regulatory changes,” said SAS CEO Jim Goodnight. “With insights from industry-focused analytics, resilient organisations can find opportunity in these challenges.
“Through this investment, SAS will continue to support companies using AI, machine learning and advanced analytics to fight fraud, manage risk, better serve customers and citizens, and much more. We remain steadfast in our ongoing commitment to innovation while delivering the market’s best analytics.”
The investment aligns with the prevailing trend of democratising data analytics. By empowering a broader range of individuals, regardless of their experience or job roles, with the capabilities of advanced analytics, both organisations and society as a whole will reap the rewards. SAS refers to this as “analytics for everyone, everywhere,” envisioning a future where the power of analytics is accessible to all.
As organisations increasingly adopt AI, machine learning, computer vision, and IoT analytics to gain valuable insights, individuals with varying skill levels can actively participate in the analytics process. Thanks to low- or no-code options provided by solutions built on SAS Viya, the democratisation of analytics becomes a reality.
Not only can data scientists and statisticians leverage SAS’s industry-specific solutions, benefiting from the incorporation of AI, machine learning, and other potent analytics tools, but business analysts can also join the fray. They can now more effectively detect and prevent fraud, assist city planners in enhancing public health and safety, aid medical personnel in elevating patient care, and empower frontline workers to optimise manufacturing assembly lines. The democratisation of analytics holds immense potential for individuals across diverse domains, unlocking new possibilities and driving unprecedented progress.
