New SAS Software Will Build and Test Models

Software giant SAS is to launch a new platform which automatically build models from users' data, and helps select the most accurate forecasts.

Known as SAS Factory Miner and due for release next month, the software tests the models it has created to reach a view of which most accurately describes what will happen. The company says it will greatly speed up the process of modelling, compared to manual design, and may also save user firms from having to hire data scientists.

Factory Miner, accessed through a browser, takes any data table / tables as input and analyses them by means of machine learning algorithms, which continue to test them until patterns emerge. The package includes a set of customizable templates, and allows manual fine-tuning of the eventual computer-generated models. Potential uses include segmentation and targeting, given that a large number of different models can be generated in a short time.

SAS Technology Marketing Director Sascha Schubert comments: 'If you take too long coming up with a model, you lose a lot of value. You want to be efficient in your analytics'.

Web site: www.sas.com .