Now, educators can access SAS’ Viya software for free

Software company SAS has made its software suite — SAS Viya for Learners — accessible to educators and learners free of cost.

SAS Viya for Learners is a suite of cloud-based software that supports the full analytics life cycle — data, discovery, and deployment — and lets users access SAS artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) analytics tools.

Making the announcement at the SAS Global Forum here, the company said a substantial chunk of the $1 billion investment it made in AI will be dedicated to educational initiatives such as free workshops and for providing teaching materials.

The software suite comes with tools such as online chat, web tutorials, e-learning, documentation, communities and technical support, enabling educators to teach creative applications of analytics, the company said.

Educators can also access a private forum to share experiences and practices.

“Analytics is changing work and our current and upcoming workforce as we know it. But humans will always be the heart and soul of innovation. Our commitment to analytics education forkids, educators, and professionals unleashes the power of learners to build a better world,” said Jim Goodnight, CEO, SAS.

The company also launched a new analytics simulation game called Cortex, which teaches analytics and predictive modelling skills.

The writer is in Dallas at the invitation of SAS Institute