Exclusive: SAS CTO discusses generative models, global reach

Bryan Harris, the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at SAS, has been a key player in making the company's technological advancements come to life for over three and a half years.

SAS, a global leader in analytics, has been a significant player in the AI and data management space for 48 years.

"My responsibility is for the entire software portfolio at SAS, spanning our flagship data and AI platform, Viya. This platform is incredibly powerful in building AI models, governing them, and ultimately deploying them into production for our customers," Harris explained to TechDay.

SAS's Viya platform, which is cloud-native and portable, allows customers to run it on any cloud of choice or even on-premises. This flexibility is crucial for integrating generative AI, enabling natural language interactions with data and systems.

"We are building co-pilots for every part of our data and AI lifecycle, focusing on governance and quality to ensure productivity, performance, and trust," Harris said.

Industry Applications of AI

SAS's AI solutions are applied across various industries, including banking, insurance, life sciences, and retail. Harris shared specific examples of AI in action, such as fraud detection in banking, customer service improvements, and supply chain analytics.

"In banking, our AI models for fraud detection are incredibly sophisticated, delivering results in under 30 milliseconds. This ensures a seamless customer experience at the point of purchase," Harris explained.

He also highlighted SAS's role in insurance fraud detection and customer service enhancements, such as a project with an Italian bank using generative AI to manage customer complaints.

In retail, SAS's Customer Intelligence 360 product has significantly boosted Ulta Beauty's customer loyalty program.

"We've helped Ulta drive customer loyalty and increase cross-sell and upsell opportunities," Harris said. 

SAS's predictive maintenance solutions are also applied in pharmaceutical manufacturing, improving equipment reliability and overall production processes.

"Predictive maintenance allows us to schedule parts delivery and service, enhancing manufacturing efficiency," Harris said.

AI Adoption in Australia

Discussing recent research commissioned by SAS and conducted by Coleman Parkes, Harris compared Australia's progress with other major markets.

"Australia ranks fourth out of 16 countries in both AI adoption and implementation," he said.

"The research further supports this claim, highlighting that almost two-thirds (63%) of Australian respondents reported using Generative AI (GenAI) in their organizations."

It comes as research found only 8% of Australian organizations have fully implemented GenAI technologies, compared to 24% in the US.

"Businesses need to integrate generative AI into their existing workflows to drive efficiency and scale," he said. "Transparency and trust are crucial."

Quantum Computing and AI

Harris explained how SAS is also exploring the possibilities of quantum computing in AI.

He described how quantum computing can solve "complex optimization problems", such as the travelling salesperson problem, by running simulations quickly.

"Quantum computing allows us to find optimal solutions faster, accelerating traditional computing processes," he explained.

"Think of quantum computing as 'How do I just accelerate a different form of math that's not linear algebra?' but it's more around trial and error—scenarios where I can run a bunch of simulations at once, then get to a smaller set to start from."

Global Presence

SAS's global footprint includes a whopping 46 offices worldwide, with five currently in Australia.

Harris praised the company's workplace culture, driven by Co-Founder and CEO Dr. Jim Goodnight's philosophy of employee well-being.

"Our Cary, North Carolina campus offers extensive facilities, including a healthcare centre and daycare. This focus on work-life balance has made SAS one of the top workplaces for decades," he said.

"You can go to work, get breakfast, go to the Health Care Center, get a haircut, pick up the kids at daycare centre, and never have to leave the campus," he said.

"What that does is it improves the efficiency of someone's life, and when you do that, that person gives back tremendously to the company that's providing those services to them."

The Global Economic Impact of AI and GenAI

The global economic implications of AI and GenAI are profound. According to a 2023 McKinsey report, GenAI could add between $2.6 trillion to $4.4 trillion annually across various use cases. This impact would increase the overall influence of artificial intelligence by 15% to 40%.

SAS's involvement in this space is significant. The company's partnerships and solutions across industries are driving greater employee satisfaction, operational efficiencies, and enhanced innovation and customer experiences, particularly in Australia, where understanding and adoption of GenAI technologies are above the global average.

A recent SAS study found that in Australia, 87% of respondents report a good or moderate understanding of GenAI - which is higher than the global average of 82%.

Additionally, 73% of Australian organizations said they are either fully or moderately prepared for GenAI regulations, showing that the country is on the front foot when it comes to governance.