“AI won’t replace printers, but printers using AI will,” says industry innovator

In a compelling address at the 8th Round Table Conference in Colombo last week, Himanshu Pandey of Avantika Printers urged the printing industry to embrace Artificial Intelligence or risk becoming obsolete. 

Pandey, who co-manages two major printing facilities, argued that AI is no longer a futuristic concept but a present-day necessity for survival and growth.

“What if you could reply to every inquiry in under 20 seconds, provide a detailed quotation in 40 seconds, and create the most efficient job schedule in the next two minutes?” Pandey asked the audience. He painted a picture of an AI-powered future where businesses never miss a follow-up, never burn out, and deliver faster than ever before. This isn’t a threat, he argued, but the industry’s single greatest opportunity.

He insisted that “AI won’t replace printers. But the printers who use AI will replace those who don’t.”

Pandey began by outlining the critical challenges that plague many printing businesses today, issues that AI is uniquely positioned to solve:

Drawing a parallel to the initial fear of computers in the 90s, Pandey demystified AI not as a job-killer, but as a powerful enabler. “We feared computerization would replace people. Today, computers are our good friends,” he said. “The new fear is that AI will replace us. No, actually AI will empower us with more productivity and efficiency. It’s a perfect assistant.”

He detailed several key areas where AI can be a game-changer:

Addressing a common fear, data privacy, Pandey “decoded the algorithm” of a secure AI implementation. He explained a sophisticated system where customer inquiries are processed for language by a generative AI model (like ChatGPT or Gemini), but the crucial, confidential costing and planning are handled by a separate, standard AI engine.

This engine uses the printer’s private and secure database to perform mathematical calculations. “Your data is stayed here in your configuration, your database,” he assured. This hybrid approach ensures that sensitive business information remains confidential while leveraging the power of AI for communication and analysis. This system, he demonstrated, can calculate costs based on multiple models—traditional (per thousand), hybrid (material-focused), and the most advanced model combining process, time, and material in seconds.

Four-Point Action Plan for the Future-Ready Printer

Pandey concluded by offering a clear, actionable roadmap for any printing business looking to integrate AI and scale its operations.

1. Find the Right Tools: Identify the AI applications and agents that can solve your specific business challenges.

2. Find the Right Partner, Not a Vendor: Implementation is a continuous journey. He stressed the need for a technology partner who is invested in your growth, offers R&D, and provides robust support.

3. Find the Right Coach: Seek mentorship from industry experts who can help you navigate market trends and develop the right strategies for implementing new technologies.

4. Invest in Your Team: Upskill your employees. Train them on how to use AI tools like ChatGPT for more than just writing emails. Foster a culture of productivity and innovation.

By moving from dependency and delay to data and dynamism, Pandey emphasized that the printing industry could thrive, becoming more profitable, scalable, and exciting for generations to come.