Editing SAS Institute (section)

==History==

=== 1966–1979: Founding and early history ===
The Statistical Analysis System (SAS) began as a project at [[North Carolina State University]]'s agricultural department. It was originally led by [[Anthony James Barr]] in 1966, then joined by NCSU graduate student [[James Goodnight]] in 1967<ref name="observer">{{cite news|title=SAS: A hard-to-define product but simple success|first=Steven|last=Eisenstadt|date=July 21, 1996|newspaper=News & Observer|url=http://www.biostat.wustl.edu/~phil/stuff/si.html|access-date=May 19, 2014}}</ref> and [[John Sall]] in 1973.<ref name="AgrestiMeng2012"/> In the early 1970s, the software was primarily leased to other agricultural departments<ref name="O'ReillyPfeffer2000">{{cite book|author1=Charles A. O'Reilly|author2=Jeffrey Pfeffer|title=Hidden Value: How Great Companies Achieve Extraordinary Results with Ordinary People|url=https://archive.org/details/hiddenvaluehowgr00orei|url-access=registration|year=2000|publisher=Harvard Business Press|isbn=978-0-87584-898-3|pages=[https://archive.org/details/hiddenvaluehowgr00orei/page/101 101]}}</ref> in order to analyze the effect soil, weather and seed varieties had on crop yields.<ref name="sixtyeight">{{cite news |last=Lohr |first=Steve |date=November 21, 2009 |title=At a Software Powerhouse, the Good Life Is Under Siege |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/business/22sas.html?pagewanted=all |access-date=September 27, 2011}}</ref> The project was funded by the [[National Institutes of Health]] and later by a coalition of university statistics programs called the [[University Statisticians of the Southern Experiment Stations]].<ref name="AgrestiMeng2012">{{cite book|author1=Alan Agresti|author2=Xiao-Li Meng|title=Strength in Numbers: The Rising of Academic Statistics Departments in the U. S.: The Rising of Academic Statistics Departments in the U.S.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kPGJUiUCJZkC&pg=PA177|date=November 2, 2012|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-1-4614-3649-2|pages=177}}</ref>

By 1976, the software had 100 customers<ref name="forbesss">{{cite news|title=Pampering the customers, pampering the employees|date=November 8, 2007|url=https://www.forbes.com/2007/11/08/sas-corestates-goognight-biz-cz_rl_1108sas.html|newspaper=Forbes|access-date=April 10, 2014|first=Randall|last=Lane}}</ref><ref name="Cascio2011">{{cite book|author=Wayne Cascio|title=Responsible Restructuring: Creative and Profitable Alternatives to Layoffs|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6G9jRo_jRzAC&pg=PA120|date=August 2011|publisher=ReadHowYouWant.com|isbn=978-1-4596-2635-5|page=120}}</ref> and that year, 300 people attended the first SAS user conference in Kissimmee, Florida.<ref name="intervieww">{{citation|title=Oral History Interview with Jim Goodnight|date=July 22, 1999|url=http://docsouth.unc.edu/sohp/I-0073/excerpts/excerpt_976.html|access-date=April 8, 2014|publisher=Oral Histories of the American South}}</ref> Goodnight, Barr, Sall and another early participant, [[Jane Helwig]], founded SAS Institute Inc. as a private company on July 1, 1976, in offices across the street from the university.<ref name="AgrestiMeng2012"/><ref name="NourseGreenberg1978">{{cite journal|last1=Nourse|first1=E. Shepley|last2=Greenberg|first2=Bernard G.|last3=Cox|first3=Gertrude M.|last4=Mason|first4=David D.|last5=Grizzle|first5=James E.|last6=Johnson|first6=Norman L.|last7=Jones|first7=Lyle V.|last8=Monroe|first8=John|last9=Simons|first9=Gordon D.|title=Statistical Training and Research: The University of North Carolina System|journal=International Statistical Review / Revue Internationale de Statistique|volume=46|issue=2|year=1978|pages=171|issn=0306-7734|doi=10.2307/1402812|jstor=1402812}}</ref> Barr and Helwig later sold their interest in the company.<ref name="observer"/>

During its first year of operation, SAS adopted a tradition of polling users for suggestions to improve the software through the SASware Ballot.<ref name="one">{{citation|url=http://www.sas.com/company/about/history.html|title=Company History|publisher=SAS|access-date=April 9, 2014}}</ref><ref name="jane">{{cite news|last=Romani|first=Jane|title=SAS Institute: 21st Century Technology&nbsp;... Today|newspaper=Business Leader|date=December 1993}}</ref> Many of the company's employee perks, such as fresh fruit, reasonable work hours<ref name="seventyeight">{{cite news|first=David|last=Kaplan|newspaper=Fortune|title=SAS: A new no. 1 best employer|date=January 22, 2010|access-date=April 8, 2014|url=https://money.cnn.com/2010/01/21/technology/sas_best_companies.fortune/index.htm}}</ref> and free [[M&M's]] every Wednesday became part of its practices that first year.<ref name="fortynine">{{cite news|first=Rebecca|last=Leung|publisher=CBS News|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/working-the-good-life/|title=Working the Good Life|date=February 11, 2009|access-date=October 17, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|title=Firms use perks to relieve HR stress Massages, health clubs and M&Ms among extras that keep staff happy and productive|date=October 14, 1999|first=Kevin|last=Marron|pages=T4}}</ref><ref name="crnn">{{cite news|newspaper=Computer Reseller News|date=December 12, 2005|title=James Goodnight, Founder and CEO, SAS Institute|first=Barbara|last=Darrow|pages=23}}</ref> In the late 1970s, the company established its first marketing department.<ref name="incinc"/>

=== 1980–2018 ===
SAS started building its current headquarters in a forested area of [[Cary, North Carolina]] in 1980.<ref name="timeline">{{cite news|url=http://www.wral.com/business/story/9211429/|title=SAS corporate timeline|date=March 3, 2011|access-date=October 17, 2011|publisher=WRAL}}</ref><ref name="appp">{{cite news|title=Cary software firm handles growth without losing human touch|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1454&dat=19920628&id=NlNIAAAAIBAJ&pg=1817,4937752|publisher=Associated Press|first=Paul|last=Nowell|access-date=April 8, 2014|date=June 28, 1992}}</ref> Later that year, it began providing on-site daycare in order to keep an employee who had planned to leave her job to care for her child at home.<ref name="seventyeight"/> By 1984, SAS had expanded the benefits programs it offered to employees and their families,<ref name="fifty">{{cite news |last=Maney |first=Kevin |date=April 21, 2004 |title=SAS Workers Won When Greed Lost |url=https://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2004-04-21-sas-culture_x.htm |access-date=October 17, 2011 |newspaper=USA Today}}</ref><ref name="alap" /> and begun building a fitness center, medical center, on-site cafe and other facilities.<ref name="seventyeight"/> SAS became known as a good place to work<ref name="alap">{{cite news|date=June 15, 1997|publisher=Associated Press|first=Paul|last=Nowell|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19970615&id=tbgeAAAAIBAJ&pg=3563,4292867|title=Software company SAS Institute evolving along with its customers|access-date=April 8, 2014}}</ref> and was frequently recognized by national magazines like ''BusinessWeek'', ''Working Mother'' and ''Fortune'' for its work environment.<ref name="crnn"/><ref name="little"/>

The company began its relationship with Microsoft and development for Windows operating systems in 1989. Shortly afterwards it established partnerships with database companies like [[Oracle Corporation|Oracle]], [[Sybase]] and [[Informix]].<ref name="jane" />

During the 1980s, SAS was one of [[Inc. Magazine]]'s fastest growing companies in America from 1979 and 1985.<ref name="incinc">{{cite news|first=Leigh|last=Buchanan|newspaper=Inc. Magazine|url=http://www.inc.com/magazine/201109/inc-500-james-goodnight-sas.html|title=How SAS Continues to Grow|date=September 2011|access-date=September 28, 2011}}</ref><ref name="little" /> It grew more than ten percent per year from $10 million in revenues in 1980<ref name="observer" /> to $1.1 billion by 2000.<ref name="little">{{cite news|title=Little-known software giant to raise its profile|first=Emery|last=Dalesio|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1916&dat=20010505&id=nPpIAAAAIBAJ&pg=3476,727402|date=May 5, 2001|publisher=Associated Press|access-date=April 8, 2014}}</ref> In 2007, SAS revenue was $2.15 billion, and in 2013 its revenue was $3.02 billion. By the late 1990s, SAS was the largest privately held software company.<ref name="fifty" /> The [[Associated Press]] reported that analysts attributed the growth to aggressive [[research and development]] (R&D) spending.<ref>{{cite news|title=SAS Institute continues rapid growth|publisher=Associated Press|date=July 13, 1992}}</ref> It had the highest ratio of its revenues spent on R&D in the industry for eight years, setting a record of 34 percent of its revenues in 1993, as it was working on a new menu-based interface.<ref name="jane" /> In 1998, a larger proportion of its revenue was spent on R&D than at most other software companies;<ref name="fastc" /> in 1997, this figure was more than double the industry average.<ref name="ccomputerworld" />

SAS created an education division in 1997 to create software for schools, including the newly formed [[Cary Academy]]. In 2003 the Bank of America Foundation purchased and donated licenses for the software to 400 schools in North Carolina.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=Associated Press|title=SAS to offer free software to schools|first=Emery|last=Dalesio|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1734&dat=20030819&id=nu4bAAAAIBAJ&pg=6772,4165778|date=August 18, 2003|access-date=April 8, 2014}}</ref> SAS funded its first advertising program in 2000 with a $30 million television and radio campaign.<ref name="little" />

The company considered making 25 percent of its ownership stake available on the stock market and providing employees with stock-options during the [[dot-com bubble]] before the following downturn, but ultimately chose not to.<ref>{{cite news |last=Harvey |first=Fiona |author-link=Fiona Harvey |date=July 6, 2001 |title=SAS Institute delays plans for partial flotation |newspaper=Financial Times |pages=24}}</ref> SAS was one of the few technology companies that did well during the downturn and hired aggressively to take advantage of available staff.<ref name="fifty" />

In 2009, SAS filed a [[SAS Institute Inc. v World Programming Ltd|lawsuit]] against World Programming Ltd., alleging [[World Programming System]]—a software product designed to use the features of the SAS language—violated their copyright as it was reverse engineered from the functionality of SAS Learning Edition.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-02/copyright-can-t-block-software-reverse-engineering-court.html | title = Copyright Can't Block Software Reverse Engineering: Court | author =  Aoife White | publisher = Bloomberg | date = 2012-05-02 | access-date = 2014-09-23 }}</ref> The [[European Court of Justice]] ruled that functionality and language elements<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Vezzoso|first1=Simonetta|title=Copyright, Interfaces, and a Possible Atlantic Divide|journal=Journal of Intellectual Property, Information Technology and E-Commerce Law|date=2012|volume=3|issue=2|pages=153–161|url=http://www.jipitec.eu/issues/jipitec-3-2-2012/3444/vezzoso.pdf}}</ref> were not protected and the case was discussed in [[Oracle v. Google]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Garling |first=Caleb |url=https://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/05/judge-oracle-google/ |title=In Oracle v. Google, Judge Holds Fate of Java APIs|website=Wired.com |date=2012-05-07 |access-date=2014-09-23}}</ref>

SAS introduced its first reseller program intended to grow sales with small to medium-sized businesses in 2006.<ref>{{cite news|first=Emery|last=Dalesio|date=August 28, 2006|title=SAS Institute targets smaller businesses|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1734&dat=20060828&id=NYcqAAAAIBAJ&pg=3954,4633203|access-date=April 8, 2014|publisher=The Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=SAS Institute Shakes up BI Space with Reseller Effort; Company changes course after years of selling products direct|date=August 28, 2006|newspaper=Computer Reseller News|first=Stacy|last=Cowley}}</ref> Leading up to 2007, SAS provided funding and curriculum assistance to help start the Master of Science in Analytics program at nearby [[North Carolina State University]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Problems-and Solutions|first=Emily|last=Glazer|date=October 24, 2011|access-date=April 9, 2014|url=https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970204479504576636841227735016|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref> The company's cloud-based products grew in revenues by 35 percent in 2014<ref>{{cite news|title=SAS foresees adding 600 workers in Cary over next 3 years|first=David|last=Rani|date=October 22, 2014 |url=http://www.carynews.com/2014/10/22/4255158/sas-foresees-adding-600-workers.html|newspaper=The Cary News|access-date=November 13, 2014}}</ref> and the construction of Building Q was completed late that year to house its corresponding operations.<ref>{{cite news|title=SAS expands cloud analytics business|first=Nestor|last=Arellano|date=October 22, 2014|url=http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/sas-expands-cloud-analytics-business/98450#ixzz3IzvMFJ9l|newspaper=IT World Canada|access-date=November 13, 2014}}</ref>

In March 2014, SAS launched its SAS Analytics U<ref>{{cite news|title=SAS Launches SAS Analytics U|first=Leila|last=Meyer|date=March 24, 2014|access-date=August 11, 2015|url=http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/03/24/sas-launches-sas-analytics-u.aspx|newspaper=Campus Technology}}</ref> initiative to provide free foundational technologies and support to teachers and students.

=== 2019–present: Artificial intelligence and international expansion ===
In 2019, SAS announced that it was investing $1 billion into further [[artificial intelligence]] R&D, as part of a broader push to develop software in the fields of [[machine learning]], [[deep learning]], [[computer vision]] and [[natural language processing]]. The investment will also fund related initiatives such as acquisitions and the creation of education programs to teach the public about the applications of AI.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Coletti |first=Claudine |date=March 19, 2019 |title=SAS Announces $1 Billion Investment In AI |url=https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/innovation/technology/sas-announces-1-billion-investment-in-ai |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=Forbes ME |language=en-US}}</ref> That year, SAS partnered with [[Nvidia]] to produce offerings related to AI and deep learning. Under that partnership, Nvidia [[graphics processing units]] (GPUs) and [[CUDA]]-X AI acceleration libraries will support SAS' AI applications and models.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-03-19 |title=SAS strikes deal with NVIDIA to boost graphical qualities, processing of AI programs {{!}} WRAL TechWire |url=https://wraltechwire.com/2019/03/19/sas-strikes-deal-with-nvidia-to-boost-graphical-qualities-processing-of-ai-programs/ |access-date=2024-02-29 |website=wraltechwire.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

SAS partnered with Microsoft in 2020 to allow users to run their SAS workloads in the cloud with [[Microsoft Azure]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=SAS strengthens bond with Microsoft. Should we expect a buyout instead of IPO? |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2022/10/03/sas-strengthens-bond-with-microsof-ipo-buyout.html |access-date=2024-02-29 |website=www.bizjournals.com}}</ref> This partnership has also facilitated co-engineering between the companies in the areas of generative AI and data management,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-13 |title=The power of data and AI: Transforming industries through collaboration |url=https://siliconangle.com/2023/09/13/power-data-ai-transforming-industries-collaboration-exploresas/ |access-date=2024-02-29 |website=SiliconANGLE |language=en-US}}</ref> such as integration between [[OpenAI]] and SAS' analytical systems.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ghoshal |first=Anirban |date=2023-09-13 |title=SAS Viya analytics suite gets SaaS-based AI app development tools |url=https://www.infoworld.com/article/3706378/sas-viya-analytics-suite-gets-saas-based-ai-app-development-tools.html |access-date=2024-02-29 |website=InfoWorld |language=en}}</ref>

SAS also partnered with [[TMA Solutions]] in 2020, with the latter consulting on AI adoption.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SAS sharpens AI sword in Vietnam through TMA Solutions sync up |url=https://channelasia.tech/article/683787/sas-sharpens-ai-sword-vietnam-through-tma-solutions-sync-up/ |website=channelasia.tech}}</ref> That year, SAS launched the SAS Software Certified Young Professionals in collaboration with [[Ministry of Communications and Digital|Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation]] with the goal of training 500 students in programming, machine learning and analytics through online courses.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SAS commits to analytics training, targets 500 Malaysian students in 2020 |url=https://channelasia.tech/article/683193/sas-commits-analytics-training-targets-500-malaysian-students-2020/ |website=channelasia.tech}}</ref>

In July 2021, the ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' reported that the semiconductor giant [[Broadcom]] was in talks to acquire SAS.<ref>{{cite news|title=Broadcom in Talks to Buy Software Firm SAS|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/broadcom-in-talks-to-buy-software-firm-sas-11626103731|first1=Cara|last1=Lombardo|first2=Dana|last2=Cimilluca|date=July 12, 2021|publisher=[[Wall Street Journal]]}}</ref> In a July 13, 2021 email, SAS CEO Jim Goodnight stated that the company was not for sale.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wraltechwire.com/2021/07/13/goodnight-says-sas-not-for-sale-broadcom-talks-over-says-report/|title=Goodnight says SAS not for sale; Broadcom talks over, says report|work=[[WRAL-TV]]|date=July 13, 2021|access-date=July 16, 2021}}</ref>

In July 2021, SAS announced that it was preparing for an [[initial public offering]] (IPO).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hu |first=Krystal |last2=Mehta |first2=Chavi |date=2021-07-29 |title=Analytics behemoth SAS says aiming to go public by 2024 |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/analytics-firm-sas-says-aiming-go-public-by-2024-2021-07-29/ |access-date=2024-04-14 |work=Reuters |language=en}}</ref> As of September 2023, the company had invested between $50 million and $60 million into internal preparations for its [[IPO]], which was estimated to take place in 2025.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gordon |first=Brian |date=September 14, 2023 |title=SAS pushes back timeline to reach stock market as IPO takes 'longer than anticipated' |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article279298524.html |work=The News & Observer}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2024/12/27/sas-ipo-stock-market-jim-goodnight.html |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=www.bizjournals.com}}</ref>

In May 2023, SAS announced its intentions to invest an additional $1 billion into AI applications for the banking, healthcare, and insurance industries over the next three years. The company's [[chief technology officer]] Bryan Harris stated that "[we] think this is where the second leg of growth of SAS over the next 50 years is going to be."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ohnesorge |first=Lauren |date=May 9, 2023 |title=SAS to spend $1 billion on AI as global tech race heats up |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/inno/stories/news/2023/05/09/sas-to-spend-one-billion-global-ai-race-heats-up.html |access-date=2024-04-14 |website=Triangle Inno}}</ref> This investment in AI contributed to the company's expansion in international markets, especially China.<ref>{{Cite web |last=杨洋 |title=SAS Institute to expand market presence in China |url=https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202405/20/WS664ae92aa31082fc043c812a.html |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=www.chinadaily.com.cn}}</ref>

The majority of this development has focused on the creation of "pragmatic" artificial intelligence with present-day applications.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Almekinders |first=Sander |date=2024-06-25 |title=47 years of SAS: age gives SAS an edge in current AI landscape |url=https://www.techzine.eu/blogs/analytics/121581/47-years-of-sas-advanced-age-gives-sas-an-edge-in-current-ai-landscape/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=Techzine Global |language=en}}</ref> In addition to integrating artificial intelligence into its existing platforms,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-17 |title=Decision-making enhanced by AI at SAS Innovate |url=https://siliconangle.com/2024/04/17/exploring-sas-vision-ai-integration-enhanced-decision-making-key-insights-sasinnovate/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=SiliconANGLE |language=en-US}}</ref> the company launched several new platforms related to AI development in 2023 and 2024, including [[SAS Viya|SAS Viya Workbench]], a development environment used for building AI models, and AI application development platform App Factory.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zwets |first=Berry |date=2023-09-12 |title=SAS Viya Workbench and App Factory promise rapid AI development |url=https://www.techzine.eu/news/analytics/111159/sas-viya-workbench-and-app-factory-promise-rapid-ai-development/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=Techzine Global |language=en}}</ref> It also launched Viya Copilot, a [[Virtual assistant|generative AI assistant]] for developers and data scientists.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2024-04-17 |title=SAS Institute debuts its first generative AI assistants, plus tools to help companies build their own |url=https://siliconangle.com/2024/04/17/sas-institute-debuts-first-generative-ai-assistants-plus-tools-help-companies-build/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=SiliconANGLE |language=en-US}}</ref>

SAS Data Maker, a synthetic data platform, was introduced in 2024.<ref name=":3" /> In November 2024, SAS acquired the United Kingdom-based synthetic data company Hazy.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gordon |first=Brian |title=SAS acquires software that generates fake data. How it could help the Triangle company. |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article295433834.html |work=News & Observer}}</ref> It was announced that the company would integrate Hazy's data generation capabilities into SAS Data Maker.<ref name=":2" />