SAS and Microsoft Team for AI and Analytics Solutions

SAS is teaming with Microsoft in the name of democratizing analytics and AI.

Under the partnership, the companies will migrate SAS' analytical products and industry solutions onto Microsoft Azure as the preferred cloud provider for the SAS Cloud.

It builds on SAS integrations across Microsoft cloud solutions for Azure, Dynamics 365, Microsoft 365 and Power Platform, and will optimize SAS Viya for Azure. It will also integrate the SAS portfolio of industry solutions into the Azure Marketplace to provide improved productivity and enhanced business outcomes for customers.

See also: Coca-Cola Tapping Real-Time Insights for Employee & Customer Engagement

"SAS and Microsoft have a shared vision of helping customers accelerate their digital transformation initiatives. We both understand that it is about enrichment of data and improving lives through better decisions," said Oliver Schabenberger, SAS chief technology officer and chief operating officer. "Partnering with Microsoft gives customers a more seamless path to the cloud that provides faster, more powerful and easier access to SAS solutions and enables trusted decisions with analytics that everyone — regardless of skill level — can understand."

The two companies will also explore opportunities to integrate SAS analytics capabilities within Azure and Dynamics 365, as well as build new market-ready joint solutions for customers that are natively integrated with SAS services across multiple industries.

Additional SAS products and solutions will begin rolling out later this year, supported by joint co-selling and go-to-market activities.

SAS is also committed to using Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 to power its internal operations.

The announcement was made in conjunction with Virtual SAS Global Forum 2020, being held remotely this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.