If there’s one thing artificial intelligence (AI) has to do to be successful, it’s offering us new, simpler ways of accomplishing our daily tasks. 

AI refers to the ability of a machine to mimic intelligent human behaviour, enabling it to learn from experience, recognise objects, make decisions, and solve problems.

The application of AI in the printing industry is becoming a reality due to the endless capabilities and improvements the technology brings to printing devices. Today, manufacturers are increasingly focused on leveraging intelligent solutions to provide a better printing experience.

In light of this, there is a rising interest for businesses to take advantage of existing software and equipment to bring AI to their businesses. We’ve compiled a brief guide on the use cases of AI in office printers to demonstrate how these intelligent devices can change a company’s print environment for the better.

Predictive maintenance

Predictive maintenance is a feature that has taken center stage in today’s smart multifunction printers, helping to ensure greater efficiency and productivity. 

It involves the installation of AI-enabled sensors on printing devices. These sensors are connected to easy to use software that collects, analyses, and stores data which can then be turned into valuable insights. By monitoring office printers on an ongoing basis, business owners can keep track of the real time habits of the devices and take immediate action. 

The AI sensors can predict office printer failures or breakdowns before they happen, and because business owners are able to intervene early enough, the maintenance costs can be reduced. Even if a breakdown does occur, printing jobs can be automatically redirected to other connected printers. AI can also check for upgrades to relevant software and automatically carry them out to prevent bug issues.  

Better cyber security 

Networked and multifunction printers have become Internet of Things (IoT) connected devices, which means they leave a business’ print environment vulnerable to cyber attacks. And because these attacks are growing more sophisticated, businesses must mature to advanced threat defenses to protect their data.

AI can support businesses by providing real-time threat detection and network-level behavior analytics instead of device-level patches. Thus, when printers face a security issue, the combination of machine learning and advanced analytics ensures that an effective and rapid response is executed.

Better print results

Printing processes are often bogged down by bottlenecks, which slow down productivity. When the printing workflow is powered by AI technology, the result is higher-quality jobs and fewer print waste and misprints. Newer AI software comes equipped with algorithms that automatically adjust image quality, frame, paper alignment, sizing, and more. All of these can be performed without human intervention while the office printer does its job. This use of AI is also the perfect solution to reduce energy usage in idle time as it allows the printer to automatically switch to standby mode.

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Key takeaway

The office printer has seen a number of technological transformations in the last decades, becoming more technology-driven. By using smarter solutions, business owners can  gain better control over their printing workflows, optimise their printers’ performance and make them predictable.