Artificial Intelligence and the Printing Industry

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AI (Artificial Intelligence) has been in the news quite frequently this year. The release of ChatGPT in November of 2022 (with several updates this year) has brought a heightened sense of awareness as to what AI is capable of and how its usage may radically alter nearly every facet of society. In this post, we’ll give a brief overview of how AI/ML (Machine Learning) is already impacting the print industry.

AI and Print Automation

AI combined with ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software enables print companies to automate many facets of the print production process. From order processing, pre-press file-checking and scheduling to actually running presses, AI is being implemented to automate functions/processes previously performed by an employee or employees.

Cybersecurity

As more and more printing companies migrate operations to online systems, AI software can be used to monitor all incoming and outgoing data and take preventive steps to thwart crippling cyberattacks or malware.

Predictive Maintenance

AI software can monitor a broad range of date (collected via sensors) from printing equipment, predict when maintenance will be necessary and, in some instances, fix a defect before a work stoppage occurs.

Pre-Press

Before going to press, customer-submitted art files must be examined to make sure they meet all necessary requirements before printing commences. Checking and assessing files manually can be a laborious, time-consuming process. AI software can check a file in a matter of minutes and correct errors encountered including, with some AI tools, lo-res image files upsized to hi-res image files.

Marketing and Sales

AI software can be used to compile, schedule, and deliver email marketing campaigns with customer-specific messaging to different demographic segments automatically. It can analyze customer responses to further refine marketing messages. In general, AI is poised to radically transform how businesses interact with their clientele and customer bases across across all forms of media.

If you have any questions about Printing, give us a call at 330-597-8560. We’re happy to help you get the most out of your printing project.

Photo by Bady Abbas