What is SAS Viya?

SAS Viya is a powerful, cloud-native data and AI platform designed to help organizations manage and analyze their data efficiently. It streamlines the entire data analytics life cycle, enabling users to prepare, model, and deploy AI solutions in a collaborative environment. With its emphasis on speed, scalability, and user-friendliness, SAS Viya aims to transform raw data into actionable insights faster than alternative platforms.

Features

SAS Viya comes equipped with a multitude of features that cater to various roles within an organization, including data engineers, data scientists, MLOps engineers, and business analysts. Here’s a breakdown of its key features:

1. No-Code and Automated ETL Processes

• Data Access: Users can access data of any size and complexity.
• Drag-and-Drop Interface: Easily craft data pipelines without writing code.
• Data Quality Assurance: Gain confidence in data quality through lineage tracking and transparency.

2. Enhanced Data Exploration and Reporting

• Built-in Automation: Data scientists can explore and report data 69 times faster.
• Multiple Coding Languages: Users can work in SAS or their preferred programming languages.
• Prebuilt Model Templates: Time-saving templates help in the quick development of models.

3. MLOps Capabilities

• Model Governance: Validate, test, and deploy models efficiently across various environments from a single interface.
• Automatic Performance Monitoring: Get real-time performance reports and visualizations.
• Easy Model Tuning: Optimize models with a simple point-and-click process.

4. Business Analyst Empowerment

• Automation and Low-Code Options: 86% of data and AI life cycle tasks are achievable by business analysts.
• Natural Language Descriptions: Explain visualizations and metrics in simple terms.

5. Performance and Cost Efficiency

• Cloud Operating Cost Reduction: The platform can reduce cloud operating costs by up to 86% compared to alternatives.
• Speed and Scalability: Achieve model training speeds 30 times faster than open-source and commercial offerings.

6. Comprehensive Data and AI Life Cycle Management

• Unified Solution: Manage, model, and deploy all in one environment.
• Visual Experience: Increase productivity through a low- and no-code experience, making it accessible to users of all skill levels.

7. Responsible AI Development

• Ethical Decision Making: Automatically generated model cards ensure transparency and fairness in AI.
• Health Monitoring: Continuously monitor the performance and health of models over time.

Use Cases

SAS Viya is versatile and can be applied across various industries and functions. Here are some notable use cases:

1. Insurance

• Fraud Detection: Aksigorta improved its fraud detection rate by 66%, reducing investigation time from six months to just 30 seconds.

2. Manufacturing

• Operational Efficiency: Volvo Trucks North America achieved a 70% reduction in diagnostic time by processing millions of records in real-time, enhancing both efficiency and effectiveness.

3. Telecommunications

• Customer Retention: Vodafone Ukraine reduced customer churn by 30% by speeding up data processing from weeks to less than one day.

4. Banking

• Stress Testing: Intesa Sanpaolo completed stress tests six times faster, even with more intensive and accurate testing, showcasing improved performance and productivity.

5. Healthcare

• Predictive Analytics: Organizations can utilize SAS Viya to analyze patient data, predict outcomes, and improve treatment plans.

6. Retail

• Customer Insights: Retailers can analyze customer behavior and preferences to tailor marketing strategies and improve sales.

Pricing

While specific pricing details for SAS Viya are not publicly listed, the tool offers a range of pricing options based on organizational needs, deployment scale, and feature sets. Organizations interested in SAS Viya can request pricing information directly from SAS to obtain a tailored quote that reflects their specific requirements.

Comparison with Other Tools

SAS Viya stands out from other data and AI platforms due to its unique combination of features and capabilities. Here’s how it compares with some of its competitors:

1. Speed and Performance

• SAS Viya: Offers 30X faster model training compared to both open-source and commercial offerings.
• Competitors: Many alternatives struggle with speed and scalability, often requiring longer processing times.

2. User Accessibility

• SAS Viya: Provides low-code and no-code options, allowing users of varying skill levels to engage with data analytics.
• Competitors: Some platforms require extensive coding knowledge, limiting accessibility for non-technical users.

3. Comprehensive Lifecycle Management

• SAS Viya: Manages the entire data and AI lifecycle in a single solution.
• Competitors: Many tools focus on one aspect of the lifecycle, necessitating the use of multiple platforms for complete data management.

4. Ethical AI Development

• SAS Viya: Emphasizes responsible AI development, offering features like automatically generated model cards for ethical decision-making.
• Competitors: Not all platforms provide the same level of transparency and governance for AI models.

5. Cost Efficiency

• SAS Viya: Claims to reduce cloud operating costs by up to 86% compared to alternatives.
• Competitors: Pricing structures can vary widely, and many do not offer similar cost-saving capabilities.

FAQ

1. Who can use SAS Viya?

SAS Viya is designed for a diverse range of users, including data engineers, data scientists, MLOps engineers, and business analysts. Its user-friendly interface makes it accessible to individuals with varying levels of technical expertise.

2. Is SAS Viya cloud-based?

Yes, SAS Viya is a cloud-native platform, which means it is designed to take full advantage of cloud computing capabilities for scalability and performance.

3. What programming languages does SAS Viya support?

SAS Viya supports coding in SAS as well as other popular programming languages, allowing users to work in their preferred coding environment.

4. Can I try SAS Viya before purchasing?

Yes, SAS offers a free trial of SAS Viya, allowing potential users to experience its features and capabilities in a private trial environment.

5. How does SAS Viya ensure data quality?

SAS Viya provides features such as data lineage tracking and transparency to ensure users can trust the quality of their data throughout the analytics process.

6. What industries can benefit from SAS Viya?

SAS Viya is applicable across various industries, including insurance, manufacturing, telecommunications, banking, healthcare, and retail, among others.

7. How does SAS Viya support responsible AI development?

SAS Viya emphasizes ethical AI development by providing features such as automatically generated model cards, which facilitate transparency and fairness in AI decision-making.

In summary, SAS Viya is a robust data and AI platform that offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to enhance productivity and efficiency across various roles and industries. Its unique selling points, such as speed, scalability, user accessibility, and responsible AI development, make it a compelling choice for organizations looking to maximize their data-driven insights.