Is SAS a programming language?
SAS has a programming language, but IS that all it is? Nope, but it still ranks high as a most marketable programming skill.
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3 ways SAS® Viya® can help insurers navigate challenges
Learn how SAS and cloud computing can help insurers realize operational and business benefits.
8 free resources to start your SAS journey
Data and AI literacy are no longer optional but essential for success in both academic and professional settings. Educators are tasked with equipping students with the skills necessary to analyze and interpret information effectively. However, students and businesses can also learn these essential skills through available resources. SAS education resources
Insulin Resistance: Understand it. Recognize It.
Millions of people worldwide struggle with a silent blood sugar problem known as insulin resistance. Unfortunately, our fast-paced, high-stress, inactive lifestyles contribute to this unwanted, complex condition. However, insulin resistance can be prevented and sometimes reversed with diet and lifestyle changes. So, what is insulin resistance and how do you
Getting Started with Python Integration to SAS Viya for Predictive Modeling - Fitting a Gradient Boosting Model
Fitting a Gradient Boosting Model - Learn how to fit a gradient boosting model and use your model to score new data In Part 6, Part 7, and Part 9 of this series, we fit a logistic regression, decision tree and random forest model to the Home Equity data we
3 things I shared at SAS Innovate on Tour – and 3 things I learned
When it comes to presenting at events like SAS Innovate on Tour, it’s never just a one-way street. No matter how many countries I visit, how many times I click through my slides, or how often I speak to a room full of people who love technology, I always learn
The location of ticks in statistical graphics
Modern software for statistical graphics automatically handles many details and graph defaults, such as the range of the axes and the placement of tick marks. In the days of yore, these details required tedious manual calculations. Think about what is required to place ticks on a scatter plot. On the
AI at work: Reducing risks and saving lives on the job
AI is at its best when it is used to enhance productivity and improve the lives of those it affects. When used correctly, AI can also save lives. That’s the vision driving a new project at SAS, where applied AI models and cameras create a simulated work environment focused on
Three ways NLP can be used to identify LLM-related private data leakage and reduce risk
We often hear about cyberattacks, hackers, ransomware, and other nefarious deeds in the news, but not all data breaches are caused by third parties.
Data and AI innovation — any way you code it
In a world rich in data, data enthusiasts and problem solvers can have greater success and innovate faster with flexibility in choice. To code or not to code. The answer aligns with the problem and the data talent working to solve it. What does innovation look like inside your organization?
Is a value in a vector? Use the ELEMENT function
In SAS, DATA step programmers use the IN operator to determine whether a value is contained in a set of target values. Did you know that there is a similar functionality in the SAS IML language? The ELEMENT function in the SAS IML language is similar to the IN operator
How food impacts skin health
When we think about our skin and skin health we might think about cleansers and moisturizers, but the foods we choose to eat can have a big impact on skin health. Whether its acne, rosacea, eczema or psoriasis, they can all be impacted by what we eat. Even aging, the
Efficient recursion: Store values that will be be reused
A previous article shows how to implement recursive formulas in SAS. The article points out that you can often avoid recursion by using an iterative algorithm, which is more efficient. An example is the Fibonacci sequence, which is usually defined recursively as F(n) = F(n-1) + F(n-2) for n
Addressing health inequalities and improving access to care – for all of us
Your zip code can have just as much of an impact on your health as your DNA. In a recent podcast episode with Joyanna Gamble-George, MHA, PhD, and Karriem Watson, DHS, MS, MPH, the above statement didn’t just stop us in our track – it reshaped the entire conversation. As
How SAS HBCU+ Fellows are inspiring future analytics professionals
Since its inception in 2023, the SAS HBCU Program has been dedicated to supporting faculty at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and predominantly Black institutions (PBIs). This initiative was created for educators who are passionate about learning and teaching analytics. The program brings together faculty members at different stages
An exact formula for the probability distribution for the sum of n dice
Many well-known distributions become more and more "normal looking" for large values of a parameter. Famously, the binomial distribution, Binom(p, N), can be approximated by a normal distribution when N (the sample size) is large. Similarly, the Poisson(λ) distribution is well approximated by the normal distribution when λ is large.
Unveiling Oceanus: Harnessing SAS Visual Analytics to combat illegal fishing networks
As part of this year's IEEE Visual Analytics Science and Technology (VAST) Challenge, a group of SAS data scientists puit SAS Viya and related machine learning tools to the ultimate test - to identify individuals in a complex fishing network. Excitedly, the team received the Honorable Mention Award for Breadth of Investigation!
Foundation and domain models: Going beyond the GenAI hype
Foundation and domain models are transforming how businesses approach technology. These powerful tools are moving beyond the hype of GenAI, offering real solutions for a variety of tasks – whether generating text, creating visual content or even composing music. A new global survey of 1,600 organizations revealed critical insights into
The future of insurance – predict and prevent
Going forward, insurance will be based on data and AI – with a predict-and-prevent approach.
How to write a SAS macro to emulate recursion (and why you shouldn't)
There are two programming tools that I rarely use: the SAS macro language and recursion. The SAS macro language is a tool that enables you to generate SAS statements. I rarely use the SAS macro language because the SAS IML language supports all the functionality required to write complex programs,
How to define a SAS IML function that has no arguments
The SAS IML Language has a quirk with regards to functions that take no arguments. As discussed in the documentation, "modules with arguments are given a local symbol table." This is the usual behavior that programmers expect. However, the documentation goes on to state that "a module that has no
Share your expertise at SAS Innovate 2025
Call for content! Bring your expertise to SAS Innovate 2025! Accepted presenters can earn free registration, hotel, and travel stipends.
Fueling young athletes
The foods that we choose to eat impact every aspect of our health, and as you can imagine, these food choices can also impact every aspect of an athlete’s performance. Choosing the right foods, at the right times, can improve power, strength, reaction time, endurance and recovery. Our young athletes
Intelligent decisioning 101: 10 introductory terms you should know
You’ve collected your data, organized it, and created a model to help you understand what you’re working with. Now what? For many organizations, the next step isn’t so clear. Only 50% of models ever make it to production, which means many aren’t even realizing the value of their investment. One
Surviving the Back-to-School Season: A Parent’s Guide
With a little preparation, a sense of humor, and a lot of deep breaths, you can successfully navigate this season. Here are some tips to help parents start the new school year! Get Your Supports in Place It’s time to create (or re-engage) your support system. Consider reaching out to
Implement five sampling methods in the SAS DATA step
In SAS, the easiest way to draw random sampling from data is to use PROC SURVEYSELECT or the SAMPLE function in SAS IML software. I have previously written about how to implement four common sampling schemes by using PROC SURVEYSELECT and the SAMPLE function. The DATA step in SAS is
A Nutrition Label for AI Models: SAS Model Cards Now Available
What sets the SAS Model Card apart from previous model cards is the use of descriptive visuals, to make model cards accessible to all personas involved in the analytics process, including data scientists, data engineers, MLOPs engineers, managers, executives, risk managers, business analytics, end-users, and any other stakeholder with access to the SAS Viya environment.
Simulate data from a Poisson regression model
This article shows how to simulate data from a Poisson regression model, including how to account for an offset variable. If you are not familiar with how to run a Poisson regression in SAS, see the article "Poisson regression in SAS." A Poisson regression model is a specific type of
Data or grass?: Combining a love for soccer with optimization
Fantasy sports are all about making the right calls—do you trust your gut, or do you trust the data? In fact, sports and data are a powerful combination and nowhere is that more evident than in the world of fantasy sports. Whether it's the excitement of the Premier League or
Toxicity, bias, and bad actors: three things to think about when using LLMs
When using LLMs, managing toxicity, bias, and bad actors is critical for trustworthy outcomes. Let’s explore what organizations should be thinking about when addressing these important areas.