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SAS expands SAS Viya with governed AI assistants and agentic AI capabilities

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New AI assistants and agent infrastructure help business and analytics teams move from experimentation to governed, production-ready intelligence

DALLAS, April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SAS INNOVATE — SAS, a global leader in data and AI, today announced expansions to SAS® Viya® that advance the platform’s agentic AI features, introducing new AI assistants, agent infrastructure and acceleration tools. Together, these updates build on SAS Viya’s existing AI foundation, helping organizations move from isolated generative AI use cases to governed, production-ready intelligence at scale.

New agentic AI features in SAS Viya help transform isolated Gen AI use cases to governed, production-ready intelligence.

New SAS Viya features include:

SAS Viya Copilot, a family of AI assistants embedded across the analytics life cycle.SAS Viya Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server, using the open MCP standard to expose SAS Viya analytics and decisioning capabilities as tools for AI agents.SAS Agentic AI Accelerator, a curated framework for building, governing and deploying AI agents within SAS Viya.

SAS leadership emphasized the importance of human judgment in scaling agentic AI responsibly.

“The role of human expertise in operationalizing agentic AI is not diminished by automation; it’s elevated,” said Jared Peterson, Senior Vice President, Global Engineering at SAS. “With SAS Viya, organizations can pair copilots and agents with human judgment, trusted data and enterprise governance, so AI doesn’t just generate outputs but drives responsible, real-world decisions.”

Embedded – not bolted on – Copilot for data and AI tasks

SAS Viya Copilot is a governed, conversational AI assistant embedded directly into the SAS Viya platform, designed to work alongside human experts inside production-grade analytics workflows. It helps organizations analyze data, build models and make decisions across the analytic life cycle while maintaining enterprise-grade security and oversight.

SAS Viya Copilot integrates Microsoft Foundry to operate inside analytics workflows rather than as a standalone chat interface. It helps data scientists, developers and business analysts generate, explain and act on insights using natural language across both coding environments and interactive visual interfaces.

Current SAS Viya Copilot capabilities include:

General Q&A across core Viya applications, including data discovery, model pipeline development, model management, decision intelligence, and environment management.Code acceleration with AI-generated SAS and Python code, documentation and explanations.Model pipeline guidance with intelligent recommendations, next steps and explainability.Conversational dashboarding with AI-driven data enrichment, natural language dashboard creation and automated insights.Visual investigation with AI-assisted search and AI-powered case and alert narratives.

Over time, SAS Viya Copilot data and AI capabilities will extend across data management, model management and AI infrastructure, enabling consistent AI assistance from data ingestion to deployment.

Unlike many horizontal AI assistants that rely primarily on pretrained LLM knowledge or generic tools, SAS Viya Copilot is designed to execute domain-aware analytics tasks grounded in industry data models, terminology and best practices.

Industry Copilot capabilities available today include:

SAS Asset and Liability Management (ALM) Copilot, which guides analysts through scenario configuration, execution and interpretation for financial risk workflows, translating natural-language inputs into governed analytic models.SAS Health Clinical Data Discovery Copilot, which accelerates clinical data discovery and analysis by guiding users through data exploration, cohort creation and quality investigation using natural language.

SAS plans to expand Viya Copilot for additional industries in 2026, including financial crime prevention in banking, and intelligent planning and supply chain optimization for manufacturing.

From copilots to agents across the SAS Viya platform

While SAS Viya Copilot improves how people interact with analytics, agents allow those capabilities to compound by connecting insights, decisions and actions across systems at scale.

Beyond embedded AI assistants, SAS Viya provides the infrastructure and tools organizations need to build, connect and govern AI agents at scale. These capabilities – available to current Viya users through GitHub – are designed to help transform isolated GenAI use cases into enterprise-ready agentic AI that works across systems, teams and business processes.

SAS Viya Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server provides a standardized way to expose SAS analytics, models and decisioning capabilities to external AI agents. By using SAS Viya MCP, organizations can embed SAS’ trusted analytics, governance and domain intelligence into their own agents from the LLM interface of their choice, such as Claude, without duplicating logic or bypassing enterprise controls.

SAS Agentic AI Accelerator enables teams across all skill levels (no-code, low-code and developers) to design and operationalize AI agents with governance and trust. The accelerator provides a curated collection of code, components, interfaces and best practices to help teams build, govern, and deploy AI agents within SAS Viya, moving from experimentation to production in a repeatable, governed way.

SAS Retrieval Agent Manager (RAM) is a no-code solution built on the retrieval augmented generation (RAG) framework that streamlines the process of transforming raw unstructured data into context-aware AI responses. While currently only available as a standalone product, SAS plans to integrate RAM capabilities into SAS Viya, further enabling agents and assistants to ground responses in enterprise context for accurate, trusted decisioning.

Together, these updates position SAS Viya as a governed, enterprise-ready platform for agentic AI, supporting AI assistants and intelligent agents that work together to compound value and turn trusted insights into real-world decisions at scale.

Learn more about SAS Agentic AI solutions.

Today’s announcement was made at SAS Innovate, the company’s global data and AI conference, as SAS celebrates 50 years of innovation. This year’s event is proudly supported by our partner sponsors, including Microsoft, Intel and AWS.

About SAS

SAS is a global leader in data and AI, helping organizations make confident decisions with AI they can trust. For decades, SAS has set the standard for delivering software that drives meaningful impact, incorporating deep industry expertise, transparency and governance. SAS gives you THE POWER TO KNOW®.

SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. ® indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright © 2026 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.

Editorial Contact:
Jennifer James
Jennifer.james@sas.com
919-531-0858

 

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SOURCE SAS

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AARP Mississippi Applauds Passage and Signing of law to Protect Consumers from Cryptocurrency Kiosk Fraud

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JACKSON, Miss., May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AARP Mississippi applauds passage and signing of House Bill 1625, landmark legislation that establishes statewide oversight and consumer safeguards for cryptocurrency kiosks (commonly known as crypto ATMs). The bill, passed during the 2026 legislative session and signed into law by Governor Tate Reeves, delivers meaningful protections against fraud and financial exploitation—particularly for older Mississippians. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026.

The measure enacts new statutory consumer protection regulations for virtual currency kiosks, addressing a growing avenue for scams that disproportionately impact adults age 50 and older. The law establishes comprehensive guardrails, including licensing and oversight requirements, mandatory consumer disclosures and fraud warnings, transaction receipts and improved traceability, and daily transaction limits.

“AARP Mississippi is proud to have helped advance this critical consumer protection,” said AARP Mississippi State Director Kimberly L. Campbell, Esq. “Crypto kiosk–related scams have caused devastating losses, especially for older adults. This law brings common-sense safeguards that reduce risk, improve transparency, and strengthen accountability.”

The law’s protections are designed to curb financial exploitation while empowering consumers to make informed decisions. By improving disclosures, setting transaction limits, and enhancing traceability, the law strengthens enforcement and helps prevent irreversible losses associated with crypto kiosk fraud.

About AARP 
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the 125 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health and financial security, and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation’s largest-circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and the AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit aarp.org, aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPLatino and @AARPadvocates on social media.

Contact: Ronda Gooden
601-898-5417, 601-209-1812

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SOURCE AARP Mississippi

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QBit Semiconductor Shares Surge to USD$18 on Debut, Driving Market Capitalization to USD$700 Million

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Fueling the Edge AI revolution, the Arm-backed SoC innovator sees robust investor demand as it officially lists on the Taiwan Emerging Stock Board (TWO: 7913).

TAIPEI, May 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — QBit Semiconductor Ltd. (TWO: 7913), a fabless semiconductor company, was officially listed on the Taiwan Emerging Stock Board on May 15. Strong investor demand drove the stock price to an intraday high of USD$18(NT$530), bringing the company’s market capitalization to approximately USD$700 million. This milestone marks a significant step in the company’s expansion toward global capital markets and reinforces its position in high-performance silicon solutions.

Led by Chairman Simon Shen, QBit’s R&D team is composed of industry veterans from global giants such as Qualcomm and CSR. The company specializes in System-on-Chip (SoC) development, integrating three core functions—Intelligent Image Processing, Precision Motion Control, and Energy-Aware Sensing Management—into its flagship products. QBit’s technology is widely adopted in Multi-Function Printers (MFP), photo and barcode printers, and medical imaging-related solutions, with potential to scale into Edge AI and Physical AI applications such as drones and robotics.

In response to global demands for edge device security, QBit has preemptively integrated Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) technology into its SoCs. Its QB7 series achieved certification from the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cryptographic Algorithm Validation Program (CAVP) in 2025. This specialized expertise solidifies the company’s technical differentiation in an era of increasingly stringent cybersecurity standards.

Furthermore, QBit is expanding its footprint in Security Chips and ASIC services. Evolving from a pure controller chip supplier into a comprehensive provider of consumable authentication, secure architecture, and differentiated module designs, QBit has significantly enhanced its platform value and fostered long-term customer loyalty.

Strategically, QBit maintains deep partnerships with leading international brands. In addition to backing from Taiwan’s National Development Fund, QBit secured a strategic investment in early 2026 from Arm, the global semiconductor IP leader within the SoftBank Group ecosystem.

As AI applications and cybersecurity demands continue to surge, QBit Semiconductor is committed to strengthening its R&D and deepening its market presence to support future growth opportunities following the tremendous success of its public debut.

Media Contact: Ms. Hsu
Email: media@qbitsemi.com
Tel: +886-2-7755-7688 ext. 11068 / +886-911-687-913
Company Websites: 
QBit Semiconductor: https://www.qbitsemi.com/ 
Arm: https://www.arm.com/

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SOURCE QBit Semiconductor LTD.

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INTOUCH INSIGHT ANNOUNCES Q1 2026 FINANCIAL RESULTS

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OTTAWA, ON, May 20, 2026 /CNW/ – Intouch Insight Ltd. (“Intouch” or the “Company”) (TSXV: INX) (OTCQX: INXSF), a provider of customer experience measurement solutions, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026.

Key Highlights for Q1 2026 compared to Q1 2025

Total revenue increased 6% to approximately $6.7 million.Gross margin dollars increased by $123,762.SaaS revenue increased by 11% and recurring services increased by 5%.Adjusted EBITDA1 was $352,624, compared to $557,748, reflecting planned strategic investments in sales, marketing, and technology.

Note 1: EBITDA is a non-IFRS measure and is calculated as net income before interest expense, income taxes, financing costs, depreciation, and amortization.

Recent Operational Highlights

Announced a strategic expansion into the grocery sector, highlighted by an upcoming featured speaking engagement at the GroceryNEXT conference in Chicago.Published proprietary thought leadership studies on the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry, identifying a “Transactional Gap” in customer experience and revealing key drivers for mobile ordering success.Advanced key merchandising initiatives to actively build the sales pipeline and establish a foundation for expected long-term revenue expansion.Enhanced software and technology offerings, including investments in AI automation to improve platform functionality and client outcomes.Expanded sales and marketing capabilities to target new verticals and accelerate organic growth.

Cameron Watt, President & Chief Executive Officer of Intouch Insight, commented:

“The first quarter of 2026 progressed in line with our strategic plan, delivering solid top-line growth across every single product line, including an 11% increase in our SaaS revenue. We are confident in the immediate market opportunities in front of us and we are willing to trade near-term profitability, even operating at a potential loss, to fund our commercial expansion. We are intentionally prioritizing top-line growth and market share today because we believe our underlying unit economics are strong. By rapidly scaling our recurring revenue base now, we are expecting to accelerate our path to a tipping point of improved operating leverage and growth in earnings power.”

Watt added:

“Our sales pipeline is converting, highlighted by recent contract signings and exciting momentum with expected upcoming RFP’s for both SaaS and Services. Within our merchandising business, while large-scale rollouts naturally involve extended sales cycles, we remain focused on our target of generating over $1 million in revenue this year, supported by active opportunities and potential scope expansions. With these near-term catalysts in play, we are confident in our trajectory toward double-digit growth for the full year, making this a pivotal time to be part of our growth story.”

Q1 Earnings Conference Call Information

To participate in this event, register and log-in approximately 5 to 10 minutes before the beginning of the call.

Date: May 21, 2026
Time: 8:30 a.m. eastern time
Register for the live webcast and access on-demand recording: click here.

Consolidated Statements of Operations

Q1 2026

Q1 2025

Revenue

$    6,670,446

$    6,319,663

Cost of services

3,356,169

3,129,148

Gross margin

3,314,277

3,190,515

Total operating expenses

3,130,742

2,819,164

Income from operating activities

183,535

371,351

Non-operating expenses  (earnings) 

76,230

82,097

Income tax expense (recovery)

76,652

Net income (loss)

$       107,305

$       212,602

About Intouch Insight
Intouch Insight offers a complete portfolio of customer experience management (CEM) products and services that help global brands delight their customers, strengthen brand reputation and improve financial performance. Intouch helps clients collect and centralize data from multiple customer touch points, gives them actionable, real-time insights, and provides them with the tools to continuously improve customer experience. Founded in 1992, Intouch is trusted by over 300 of North America’s most-loved brands for their customer experience management, customer survey, mystery shopping, mobile forms, operational and compliance audits, geolocation data capture and event marketing automation solutions. For more information, visit intouchinsight.com.

Certain statements included in this news release including those related to the Company’s quarterly results, future products, opportunities and cost initiatives, strategies, and other statements that are predictive in nature that depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or that include words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “estimates”, or similar expressions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws.  Forward looking statements that are made as of the date hereof, which by their nature are necessarily subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the Company’s current views with respect to future events, and are based on information currently available to the Company and on hypotheses which it considers to be reasonable; however, management cautions the reader that hypotheses relative to future events which are beyond the control of management could prove to be false, given that they are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Please refer to the risks set forth in the Company’s most recent annual MD&A and the Company’s continuous disclosure documents that can be found on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company does not intend, and disclaims any obligation, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Intouch Insight Ltd.

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