Editing SAS Institute (section)

=== 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" />