Wolfram Research, Inc. is a privately held American company headquartered in Champaign, Illinois. Founded in 1987 by Stephen Wolfram, the company's primary focus is research and development in the areas of scientific computing, computational knowledge, and artificial intelligence. Its most well-known product is Mathematica, a computational software system with applications spanning diverse fields, including mathematics, engineering, science, finance, and education. Mathematica is known for its symbolic computation capabilities, powerful programming language, and extensive library of built-in functions.
Beyond Mathematica, Wolfram Research develops and maintains several other significant products and projects:
Wolfram|Alpha: A computational knowledge engine that answers factual queries directly using a vast curated database and computational algorithms. It provides concise and data-rich responses across a wide range of topics.
Wolfram Language: The programming language used in Mathematica and Wolfram|Alpha. It is a powerful, symbolic language designed for both technical and general-purpose computing. This language is also used in other Wolfram products and is increasingly adopted for various applications.
Wolfram Cloud: A cloud-based platform offering access to the computational power of the Wolfram Language and related services. It allows for sharing computations, developing applications, and deploying them online.
Wolfram Language APIs: These APIs allow developers to integrate the capabilities of the Wolfram Language into other applications and software systems.
Wolfram Research's contributions extend beyond its commercial products. The company conducts extensive internal research, publishing numerous research papers and fostering collaborations with academic institutions and researchers worldwide. Stephen Wolfram's personal research in complex systems and computational theory also strongly informs the company's direction and product development.
The company's overall mission appears to be to develop and disseminate powerful computational tools and knowledge resources, aimed at improving the ability of individuals and organizations to solve complex problems and advance scientific and technological understanding. Its products are used in various industries, from academic research to finance and engineering, highlighting its broad impact. While the precise number of employees is not publicly stated on their website, it is clear Wolfram Research employs a substantial workforce of scientists, engineers, and software developers to support its diverse range of activities.
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