At its SAS Innovate 2025 convention in Orlando, SAS rolled out a sequence of updates aimed toward serving to companies make higher selections with AI. The bulletins touched on a broad set of subjects, from digital twins and quantum computing to new AI fashions and updates to its Viya AI and analytics platform. Taken collectively, the message was clear: SAS is targeted on constructing AI that’s usable, ruled, and designed for sensible outcomes.
With a long time of expertise in enterprise analytics, SAS is now making use of that experience to the info and decisioning layer, or how info strikes by a company and the way AI can help clear outcomes. The convention’s bulletins present how that strategy is mirrored in its merchandise, partnerships, and newest analysis.
Right here’s a have a look at a number of of the primary day’s bulletins:
AI Brokers With Constructed-In Guardrails
SAS is growing AI brokers, or instruments that may make selections or perform duties primarily based on knowledge. These brokers are designed to comply with clear guidelines and keep inside outlined boundaries, quite than appearing independently with out limits. The purpose is to assist organizations use automation in a managed and predictable means.
SAS Innovate 2025 kicked off in Orlando this week.
The agent framework combines conventional rule-based analytics with newer machine studying strategies, together with massive language fashions. This hybrid strategy permits customers to outline particular situations for the way brokers behave, together with when to escalate a call to a human. Organizations can tune this steadiness primarily based on the chance, complexity, or regulatory context of every activity.
Governance is inbuilt, because the brokers log selections, apply entry controls, and help audit and compliance necessities. The purpose is to make AI decisioning extra clear and simpler to watch, particularly in fields like finance, healthcare, and public sector work, the place explainability and accountability are important.
Digital Twins That Run on Gaming Tech
SAS is working with Epic Video games to deliver the gaming firm’s 3D simulation know-how into digital twin instruments. By utilizing Unreal Engine, a 3D engine developed by Epic Video games initially for video video games, SAS can create detailed digital fashions of producing environments, or digital twins. Firms like Georgia-Pacific are testing this setup to simulate issues like tools motion and planning, in addition to manufacturing unit format modifications and security measures, earlier than making modifications in the actual setting.
The digital twins mix real-time knowledge from sensors and IoT units with SAS analytics and interactive visuals. This permits engineers and operators to run simulations that replicate precise situations, serving to them troubleshoot points or enhance effectivity with out interrupting manufacturing.
Whereas the present focus is on manufacturing, SAS says the identical strategy might apply to hospital operations, metropolis planning, and different fields the place bodily programs are advanced and laborious to mannequin.
Prebuilt AI Fashions for Particular Use Instances
SAS has launched a set of prebuilt AI fashions aimed toward fixing widespread issues in sectors like well being care, manufacturing, and authorities. The choices embody fashions for doc evaluation, figuring out duplicate data throughout programs, and optimizing provide chains.
Every mannequin comes with documentation and can be utilized as-is or tailored utilizing a company’s personal knowledge. They’re designed to combine into present programs with minimal setup, serving to groups get to deployment sooner, with out ranging from zero
SAS can also be constructing towards extra automated programs that pair these fashions with AI brokers. In a single instance, an agent can robotically put together knowledge for modeling by creating and managing knowledge lakes, a activity that sometimes requires important handbook effort. This type of pairing is a part of SAS’s broader push to simplify the AI pipeline, from knowledge ingestion to mannequin deployment.
These bulletins present the place SAS is placing its consideration: constructing sensible instruments that assist organizations use AI extra successfully and with extra management. Whereas the main target has been on sensible instruments and accountable AI, the day additionally supplied some lighter moments. Monday’s memorable moments included appearances from Frank Abagnale, Jr. (the real-life determine behind Catch Me If You Can) in addition to a full-on ‘90s nostalgia hour that includes Contemporary Prince alumni Alfonso Ribeiro and DJ Jazzy Jeff.
If day one is any indication, SAS Innovate goes to maintain mixing sensible AI updates with a number of curveballs alongside the way in which. AIwire will likely be masking extra from the present, together with SAS’s work on quantum AI, a brand new software for producing artificial knowledge, and updates to the SAS Viya platform. We’ve additionally had the prospect to talk with a number of SAS executives, and we’ll be sharing these insights. Keep tuned for extra.