SAP has launched a new set of AI-powered tools to help developers build apps on its systems. It follows hot on the heels of a similar product launch from data cloud platform Snowflake, which is infusing more of its services with artificial intelligence.
Coding assistants have become one of the most popular applications of generative AI systems over the past 12 months, with many major vendors launching their own versions, despite some fears about the quality of their output.
SAP Build Code: a one-stop AI shop for developers
SAP has launched Build Code solutions, a new product it says will help streamline cooperation between developers and business users of the company’s low-code SAP Build product, which launched last year.
Optimised for Java and JavaScript development, Build Code apparently draws on the power of SAP’s new generative AI copilot Joule to offer code generation capabilities for data models, application logic and test script creation.
Alongside this, it has added an AI Foundations function to its business technology platform (BTP), meaning developers can create AI-powered extensions and applications on SAP BTP. “AI Foundation includes everything developers need to start creating business-ready AI tools on SAP BTP – from ready-to-use AI services and access to the top large language models to vector database capabilities and AI runtime and lifecycle management,” an SAP statement said.
The company has also revealed its cloud database, SAP HANA, has been augmented with a vector database feature, which will enable the system to store and manage unstructured data, such as images, text and video, which can then be used to build better quality AI models.
Juergen Mueller, SAP’s CTO, said the new products “support the developers at the heart of the AI revolution and provide them with resources they need to transform the way businesses run.”
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Snowflake gets a Copilot
Meanwhile, Snowflake used its Snowday 2023 event on Wednesday to reveal how it is incorporating more AI functions into its data cloud. It has launched Snowflake Cortex, a new service it says will enable organisations to more easily discover, analyse, and build AI apps.
This includes Snowflake’s new large language model-powered assistant, Snowflake Copilot, which the vendor hopes will help bring generative AI to everyday coding tasks with natural language. Users can ask questions about their data in plain text, write SQL queries against relevant data sets, refine queries and filter down insights. The service is currently in private preview.
“With Snowflake Cortex, businesses can now tap into the power of large language models in seconds, build custom LLM-powered apps within minutes, and maintain flexibility and control over their data – while reimagining how all users tap into generative AI to deliver business value,” said Sridhar Ramaswamy, SVP of AI at Snowflake.
