AI IN PRINT
AI has been hugely hyped in the past couple of years, but the practical benefits of it are becoming clear, and various pieces of recent research have pointed to how many businesses are looking to adopt AI technology, or use it more, in the coming years. For instance, research by Deloitte found that 78% of UK business leaders expecting AI-driven automation to transform operational workflows over the next two years. Gareth Pearce, partner channel head of sales at Canon UK & Ireland, says that AI is having a big impact across the business spectrum, with print and workflow management included. “As print increasingly intersects with software solutions and connected services, AI is becoming an important part of digital transformation strategies,” he says. “AI is already having a significant impact on print and scan as businesses look for smarter ways to monitor devices, manage information, improve efficiency and strengthen security.” Deyon Antoine, marketing manager at Toshiba Tec UK Imaging Systems Ltd, notes that while AI is making a real impact across the print and scan channel, it is not always in the ways traditionally expected. “Rather than transforming devices themselves, the biggest shift is happening around workflows, how documents are captured, processed and shared within organisations,” he says. “For dealers, this is showing up in customer conversations moving beyond hardware towards productivity and efficiency. Print is increasingly being viewed as part of a wider digital ecosystem, not a standalone function. Toshiba is helping partners lean into this shift, enabling them to reposition print as a key component of smarter, more connected workplace processes.” Better solutions AI is already helping to provide better scanning and document workflow
solutions. “AI is taking scanning from basic digitisation to something far more intelligent,” says Deyon. “Documents can now be recognised, understood and acted upon automatically whether that’s extracting data, classifying content or triggering workflows. “The practical benefits are clear, less manual input, fewer errors and faster turnaround times. For dealers, this creates a much stronger value story around scan-led solutions. With support from us, partners can deliver these capabilities as part of integrated workflows, helping customers unlock efficiencies that go well beyond the device itself.” Gareth agrees that AI is helping to improve scanning and document
Contributors
Gareth Pearce
canon.co.uk
workflows through automation, intelligent monitoring and smarter
device management. “At Canon, we are seeing growing demand for AI-enhanced devices such as the imageFORCE range, which is transforming workflows through predictive maintenance – automatically recommending optimal settings and flagging potential faults before they occur, which reduces downtime and helps maintain information flow across the business,” he says. Marcin Pichur, regional vice president sales (UK/IRE, Spain, Italy, Poland) at DocuWare, adds that AI’s role in print and scan is shifting into something more grounded and practical. “After years of bold predictions, most organisations have realised that AI isn’t about an overnight transformation,” he says. “Instead, they’re focusing on the areas where it genuinely improves day‑to‑day operations, and document‑heavy workflows are proving to be one of the biggest winners.” IDP importance As part of this, intelligent document processing (IDP) becoming increasingly important. “Within this more deliberate approach, AI is already reshaping how businesses handle scanning
Deyon Antoine
toshibatec.co.uk
Marcin Pichur
start.docuware.com
39 CONTINUED
printinthechannel.co.uk
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