This Week in Imaging: Can Artificial Intelligence Reinvigorate the Printer/MFP?

by Kathleen Wirth · August 2, 2024

The AI-assisted printer of the future? Image created by Google Gemini.

Throughout the history of the office printer/copier/MFP market, we’ve seen lots of innovations – from inkjet and color printing,to scan and send to email, to user authentication and tracking, cloud printing, and much more.

But with Xerox’s introduction of MFPs with artificial intelligence, the question is whether AI assistance is the next step. Of course, as we’ve noted previously, office printers and MFPs already use AI, but in somewhat indirect ways: for instance, for preventive maintenance, security (identifying unusual patterns, for example), and for color matching. In the production-print world, AI has been used for more efficient print workflows, more efficiently distributing print jobs among a fleet.

But HP Inc. and Xerox are taking AI assistance several important steps further.

Xerox and AI

Xerox’s new AltaLink MPFs, available April 15th, will feature AI-enabled applications that enable users to quickly summarize documents, convert handwritten notes, and automatically redact sensitive documents. The AltaLink 8200 series also includes Adaptive Learning that uses AI-based algorithms to analyze usage patterns, learning from user behavior, and automatically adjusting device settings to streamline workflows.

These MFPs can also host various AI-assisted workflows, including Intelligent Document Processing (IDP), one of Xerox Digital Services. IDP uses optical character recognition (OCR) and AI to analyze paper and digital documents to uncover trends and insights that businesses can use to operate more efficiently.

HP and AI

HP doesn’t provide as much information about AI for print. But what we know so far is that one area of assistance will be reducing frustrating trial-and-error when printing. That means ensuring documents are printed correctly the first time, eliminating errors such as a line of text printed on one page, wrong page breaks. HP also says it will use AI to provide more effective predictive maintenance and proactive support.

HP will introduce its AI-assisted models sometime in this second half of the year.

Our Take

Without a doubt, HP and Xerox are the leaders at this point in harnessing AI for print. But we can certainly expect others to follow suit.

It doesn’t appear AI will expand the market for printer/MFPs, as a large portion of documents will remain digital. But we believe it will give a big edge to companies with AI-assisted models. For instance, there’s a compelling case for Xerox’s new AltaLinks, which will feature an application for summarizing and redacting documents, for applications in legal, education, and government.

HP’s AI assistance for ensuring correct document formatting is applicable virtually everywhere. And it’s easy to envision HP coming up with effective ads showing the frustration of errors such as documents printed with just a line of text on multiple pages, for instance, and how HP printers don’t do that. Xerox of course also excels with marketing, and it’s likely to put lots of time and effort marketing AI for the next-generation of printers and copiers.

Everyone will have to keep up.

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