AI in printing: Practical applications to transform your business

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries at an unprecedented pace, and the printing industry is no exception. At Gelato, we believe AI isn't just a tool – it’s a fundamental shift in how businesses operate, scale, and innovate. In our recent webinar, we shared how AI is already transforming printing operations, from automating workflows to enhancing quality control and reducing costs.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the main topics discussed in the webinar, including:

• The role of AI in the future of printing

• Real-world applications already in use at GelatoConnect

• How printers can embrace AI to stay competitive

Let’s dive in.

The impact of AI is staggering. Across industries, businesses are seeing faster processes, reduced costs, and smarter automation. Consider these examples:

• An Indian ecommerce company reduced its customer service team by 90% through AI-powered automation.

• Sebastian Siemiatkowski, CEO of Klarna, a leading payment provider has claimed it will not replace leavers, using AI to back-fill.

• IBM thinks it will likely reduce back-office jobs by 30% over the next three years, which is the equivalent of 10,000 positions.

These shifts highlight AI’s potential – but also the urgency for businesses to adapt. At Gelato, we see AI as an opportunity to elevate rather than eliminate. It’s about empowering businesses to move faster, work smarter, and optimize processes like never before.

At Gelato, we believe one of the biggest misconceptions in the digital print industry is that competition exists between local printers. In reality, the true competitors are traditional centralized manufacturing companies – those still relying on mass production and global shipping.

With AI and on-demand, localized production, print businesses have a unique advantage:

• More personalization – Consumers increasingly demand customized, locally produced products.

• Less waste – Print only what’s needed, reducing overproduction and environmental impact.

• Faster fulfillment – AI-powered workflows accelerate order processing and optimize logistics.

The future of print isn’t about competing against each other – it’s about working together to scale smarter.

At GelatoConnect, we’ve fully embraced AI to streamline and enhance the way print businesses operate. Here are a few real-world applications that our team is working on:

1. AI-Powered product onboarding: From months to minutes

Traditionally, onboarding a new product catalog can take months – sometimes over a year. With AI-driven automation, we’ve cut this process down to just minutes.

Here’s what that looks like in action:

• Typically, onboarding 300,000+ products would take a customer 9–24 months.

• With AI, our system processed all products in just 4.5 hours.

• For the next printer, adding these products takes one second – because the data is already structured.

This means faster integrations, more efficient workflows, and massive time savings for print businesses.

2. Address validation: Reducing returns by 10–15%

Shipping errors are costly – 10–15% of shipping costs in the print industry come from avoidable returns.

With GelatoConnect, AI automatically:

• Validates and corrects addresses before shipments go out.

• Reduces failed deliveries and returns, cutting costs.

• Ensures a smoother customer experience with fewer delays.

3. AI-Powered quality control

Instead of relying solely on human checks, we’re implementing AI-driven quality control using Google Gemini for automated print inspection.

How it works:

• Cameras scan printed products at the quality control station.

• AI analyzes 16+ factors in real time – checking alignment, rotation, and color accuracy.

• If the print is off-spec, the system flags it before shipping, reducing customer complaints and reprints.

The result? Higher accuracy, faster quality checks, and reduced waste. This feature is still in production, with a plan to roll it out later in the year. 

4. Pricing & order estimation in seconds

Pricing complex print jobs can take days – or even weeks. With AI-powered agents, GelatoConnect is working on enabling instant price estimates, replacing the need for large manual estimation teams.

Impact:

• AI analyzes materials, production methods, and logistics to provide accurate pricing in seconds.

• Printers can scale without needing large estimation teams.

5. Automating storefront & product configurations

Many printers struggle with setting up ecommerce storefronts or managing product configurations. 

AI simplifies this by:

• Automatically normalizing product data from different sources.

• Auto-generating images & descriptions for storefronts.

• Allowing one-click product publishing to ecommerce stores.

No manual work – just seamless AI-driven automation. This feature is launching very soon. Keep your eyes peeled. 

As AI continues to evolve, so will its role in printing and manufacturing. What does this mean for print businesses?

• More efficiency – AI eliminates repetitive tasks, so businesses can focus on growth.

• Lower costs – Smart automation means fewer errors, reduced waste, and optimized logistics.

• Scalability – AI enables global brands to streamline operations across multiple locations.

At GelatoConnect, we believe the future of printing is not about eliminating jobs – it’s about unlocking potential. AI isn’t replacing human creativity – it’s amplifying it, allowing printers to work smarter, faster, and more efficiently than ever before.

Want to learn more about how Gelato is using AI to build the print industry’s most forward-facing software? Watch the full webinar AI in printing: practical applications to transform your business now.