The printing industry is undergoing a remarkable transformation, with artificial intelligence (AI) driving unprecedented innovations. As a marketer who is deeply invested in print, I've observed firsthand how AI, particularly when combined with variable data printing (VDP), is not just a buzzword, but a game-changer that is redefining the value and capabilities of print.

AI Powers Sophisticated Personalization and Boosts Conversion Rates

Canon customers know better than anyone: gone are the days when personalization was a cumbersome, manual process. Digital inkjet has made thoughtful, strategic personalization possible at scale, leading to more successful print marketing campaigns. 

AI is supercharging the revolution that digital inkjet started. AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of customer data to create the most personalized print materials we’ve seen yet, from hyper-targeted direct mail and brochures to catalogs customized to the individual recipient’s unique tastes and purchase history. This deep analysis allows for content and design to be tailored to individual preferences and behaviors, significantly increasing engagement and conversion rates.

VDP has become indispensable, especially with the growth of direct-to-consumer e-commerce and the demand for personalized print products. AI algorithms can be the engine behind further growth, enabling seamless integration of data into print.

The future of this technology lies in machine learning AI, which learns on its own and becomes predictive over time, unlike generative AI, which generates based on the inputs it’s given. Machine learning AI can predict buying habits, giving marketers access to even more powerful personalization that resonates — and gets results.

Elevating the Value of Print with AI

AI is not just about personalization, although this is what will most appeal to the marketers you serve; it's also about optimizing the entire print ecosystem and delivering tangible business benefits. These include:

• Greater Efficiency and Cost Savings: AI-powered analytics can help printers plan more accurately by analyzing historical sales data and market trends. It can also be used to speed up estimation and job setup. Both can lead to optimized production schedules and reduced waste, which can directly impact your bottom line, not to mention customer satisfaction.
• Enhanced Operations: AI is now powering things like predictive maintenance for equipment, automated job scheduling, and resource optimization, reducing downtime and improving throughput.
• Improved Environmental Responsibility: By optimizing printing processes, AI helps reduce waste and scrap, aligning with the growing demand for environmentally friendly solutions in the industry.

How Print Service Providers Are Putting AI to Good Use

I’ve spoken with a number of print service providers who are reaping the benefits of AI. These are the specific practical applications they’ve shared with me, which range from using the technology to add more value for customers or expand services to finding internal efficiencies. 

• Automated Quote Estimation: AI agents can automate the quote estimation process by analyzing new client tickets and comparing them to a knowledge base of past jobs. Estimates will still need to be evaluated and finalized by a human, but the AI’s first draft can save significant time for human estimators.
• 24/7 Customer Support: AI can provide automated customer support through chatbots so that customers can find a good answer any time of day or night. These AI agents can search company knowledge bases to answer questions and set up tasks in project management software. They can even provide instant quotes. Again, this is a not a replacement for real customer service — a person should always check the AI’s work and provide a human touch when needed — but it can save a lot of time and improve the customer experience overall.
• Data Synthesis or Analysis: AI can summarize huge datasets quickly, making it easier and faster to gain business insights from all the data we now have access to. Obviously, marketers and print service providers need to be extremely careful with customer data, which is why I recommend building your own local AI models, but there are also secure AI tools on the market now that didn’t exist just a year or two ago.
• Real-Time Production Monitoring: AI can pull real-time data from equipment and ERP systems to allow operators to see how a job is performing against plans and take action quickly if needed.
• Automated Machine Setup and Color Management: AI can learn from previous jobs to improve prepress processes, automate machine setups, and more quickly and consistently match colors.

AI has the potential to fundamentally change and improve business operations for all of us, including print service providers. The key is to understand that AI is not here to replace human jobs, but to enhance them and make them more productive.

Better Personalization: The Real Value Proposition for Print Buyers

These operational benefits are huge for print service providers, but the real game-changer for their customers is the next-level personalization that is now possible with AI.

Machine learning AI can analyze customer data to identify ideal prospects, pinpoint customers at risk of churning, or find good targets for cross-sell/upsell campaigns. In marketing, we’re always talking about how to reach the right person with the right message at the right time, and AI is making it easier than ever before.

This hyper-targeted, data-driven approach combined with AI-powered VDP is the new print powerhouse. By embracing these technologies, print service providers can unlock unprecedented levels of personalization and customer value, ensuring they remain competitive and thrive in this rapidly evolving landscape.

To hear how one incredible print industry thought leader is using AI to supercharge customer success, I highly recommend watching the replay of Chris Wells’s thINK Ahead 2025 session, Response Optimization: Customer Success Stories with AI. Wells and DSG | UW are at the forefront of combining hyper-personalization with AI and he has great advice for other PSPs. 

You can also join me at my upcoming thINK Academy workshop, Where Do AI Tools Fit in Your Business?, on August 28, 2025. Register now and I’ll see you there!

As Managing Director of Client Services at Trekk, Emilee Christianson works with clients to develop strategic marketing plans and craft measurable programs that span print, web, social, mobile, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence. She leverages her expansive knowledge of marketing tactics to lead creative and technical teams and create communications programs that help B2B marketers meet their business objectives.