Oct 17, 2024

The following article was originally published by In-plant Impressions . To read more of their content, subscribe to their newsletter, IPI E-News . Attendees of a printing symposium yesterday were awestruck by a presentation on artificial intelligence that left even the technology laggards eager to investigate how AI can benefit their businesses. The event, titled “Bringing A.I. and Business Analytics to the Forefront of Your Print Business,” was hosted by Atlantic, Tomorrow’s Office inside the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, home of the New Jersey Devils. It featured presentations and a panel discussion, in which In-plant Impressions Editor Bob Neubauer participated. The panel discussion featured from left) Timothy Freeman (Print & Graphics Communication Association), John Cruser (Bloomberg LP), Andy Griffin (Premium Color Group), and IPI Editor Bob Neubauer. | Credit: Ryan Kiley, Ricoh USA But it was the opening session in AI that riveted attendees. David Rosendahl, president and cofounder of MindFire , showed numerous examples of how AI tools can “supercharge” a print shop, saving time, providing intelligent analysis, and giving print providers an advantage over their competition. David Rosendahl, president and cofounder of MindFire. “AI is smarter than 90% of you,” he told attendees, calling AI “the most important thing that’s happening in technology right now.” By not embracing AI, he said, printers risk falling behind their competitors. Rosendahl showed numerous jaw-dropping examples of how far AI technology has come. In one, he used AI to create a personalized credit card direct mail campaign in a matter of seconds. Inputting an Excel spreadsheet into ChatGPT with data on several people including their ages, locations, and interests, he asked it to create a personalized message for each. The results came immediately. Then he used a generative AI program called Midjourney to create realistic images of people representing those in each message. The resulting direct mail pieces were polished and ready to be printed. David Rosendahl, president and cofounder of MindFire. Perhaps even more amazing, he uploaded a NAPCO Media research report " Artificial Intelligence in the Printing Industry: The Journey Begins " and used NotebookLM to create an instant podcast discussion between two people, who analyzed the report and even made light-hearted comments about it. The AI-generated conversation sounded exactly like two humans talking to each other and adding their own insights. Rosendahl talked about how he uses AI to join him on Teams meetings, provide an instant transcript, and create a follow-up email for participants that highlights key points of discussion. He uses it to read long emails, summarize them, and even create insightful questions he can ask the sender. He said he even has conversations on his phone with his AI assistant to come up with ideas. Rosendahl showed the audience how, using simple text prompts, he could direct AI to create realistic, photo-quality images of anything they suggested, in seconds. He even played video clips of humans, entirely created by AI. Throughout his session, Rosendahl stressed that AI is getting better by the day, and despite all the amazing possibilities right now, this period in time is actually the worst that AI will ever be. By the end of his presentation, everyone in the room was convinced they need to start exploring the possibilities of AI. Heather Willovit of Ricoh USA. Though that session was certainly the most memorable of the day, the event continued with a presentation on the power of Management Information System (MIS) by Heather Willovit of Ricoh USA. She talked about how implementing a robust MIS can centralize workflows, automate tasks, and provide real-time data insights. When considering an MIS, she said, look at your pain points. How many systems do you currently use to manage jobs and track status? What’s the process for creating an order? Do you have a good handle on inventory? How do you manage interdepartmental billing? MIS can simplify all these things. Integrating your MIS with your Web-to-print system is critical, she said, to eliminate rekeying data and reduce errors. Shipping and accounting systems should also be integrated with MIS. Willovit listed several types of reports MIS can produce, such as operations reports, financial reports, sales reports, and inventory reports. All can be customized to your business. IPI Editor Bob Neubauer (left) speaks during the panel discussion. With him are Timothy Freeman (Print & Graphics Communication Association), John Cruser (Bloomberg LP), and Andy Griffin (Premium Color Group). | Credit: Ryan Kiley, Ricoh USA The day wrapped up with a panel discussion featuring IPI Editor Bob Neubauer, Andy Griffin (Premium Color Group), John Cruser (Bloomberg LP), and Timothy Freeman (Print & Graphics Communication Association). They answered questions on industry trends, the use of AI, adoption of new technologies, and workforce skill development. Neubauer enlightened the audience on some of the challenges faced by in-plants, the value-added services that are bringing them success, the transition to inkjet in some sectors, and how commercial printers can work more effectively with in-plants. Cruser, who is also the current president of the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association , provided insights into his in-plant’s successes and struggles, noting how helpful his IPMA contacts have been in giving him ideas and feedback.