Big Data, AI, and Automation Are the Future of Our World

By Toni McQuilken

The following article was originally published by Printing Impressions. To read more of their content, subscribe to their newsletter, Today on PIWorld.

Unless you’ve been living under the proverbial rock for at least the last decade, you have probably heard about AI, big data, automation, and how those things will change the fabric of the world we live in. And while there are genuine concerns the brightest minds of our generation are pondering even as we speak, the reality is that these technologies have already had a profound impact that can’t be reversed. Like it or not, the robots aren’t coming — they’re already here. Now, we need to learn how to work with them.

The print industry is certainly not immune to this seismic shift. As a critical component of how we work, play, and communicate with each other, print is at a unique crossroads, made even more interesting when you factor in how the lines between print and digital continue to blur. Digital print technologies that can combine the personalized, immediate response to situations with the power of having a printed piece in hand aren’t new. Still, they have improved rapidly on every level in just the past few years alone.

And your peers — those who successfully navigate this brave new world — know it, too. In the latest State of the Industry (SOI) Report by NAPCO Research and PRINTING United Alliance and sponsored by Canon U.S.A., artificial intelligence (AI) was cited as the single biggest disruptor to the print industry, bar none. The study noted, “Many SOI participants remind us that AI’s reach extends beyond production and workflow to ‘all disciplines’ and ‘all levels of the company.’ They describe AI as a ‘game changer,’ adding comments such as ‘those in the industry who don’t embrace AI will struggle to keep up,’ and, ‘AI will play a large part in shaping our industry, allowing those who can embrace it to operate more efficiently than their competition and create new opportunities for growth.’”

In particular, between last year and this year, the study found that the number of print providers actively using AI in some way in their operations jumped almost 20%. In comparison, the number of respondents actively shunning the technology dropped by 20%. Together, that points to a very telling picture that printers who want to stay competitive — no matter what segment you primarily identify with — will have to embrace AI in some fashion in the next few years.

As to what AI is being used for, well, that spans the gamut. The top three current use cases revolve around content creation, marketing, and sales. However, looking further at what print providers plan to use it for in the coming year, that picture shifts dramatically. Operations, market analytics, and customer analytics are the areas that see the highest opportunity. AI isn’t just for generating a funny picture or (badly) writing a blog post anymore. Instead, printers are realizing it can be a powerful tool to help analyze and then take action on the data you already have but don’t know it.

The full study is absolutely worth picking up — it’s free for members of PRINTING United Alliance (Booth C4200). If you’re not already a member, you can join the Alliance or purchase a copy at the booth.

The Data Component

Of course, data will only become more critical with AI and the unprecedented levels of automation it can unlock in your operation. It can’t be overstated just how important data is to not only your customers but also the growth and success of your own business.

But even as the importance of data continues to grow, its vulnerability has also skyrocketed. We hear of another major breach at another significant corporation every day. At this point, it’s probably safe to say that everyone’s emails, passwords (you are changing those regularly AND using a password manager to give every site you visit a unique password, right?), and basic information are just out there. But that doesn’t mean there still isn’t valuable information you — and your customers — need to protect.

With that in mind, here are five key steps you should be taking to ensure your data is secure and the proverbial robots don’t do your business more harm than good:

Install a firewall. This will ensure a level of protection between your business and the rest of the world.
Back it up, baby. Sometimes, bad actors aren’t necessarily looking to steal the data itself. Instead, they are looking to take it hostage for ransom. You can avoid this if you keep regular, encrypted, preferably off-site backups so you can delete the infected systems without losing anything critical.
Lock it down. All it takes is one unsecured laptop or phone to download a wrong file or click on a link, and your entire network is at risk. While there is no denying it can be an extra step for everyone involved, ensuring your systems are insulated from outside interference is worth it.
Secure your Wi-Fi. In the same vein, while it is always nice when you can offer customers coming to do a site visit complimentary access to the WiFi, don’t give them full access to your systems. That creates a vulnerability that can get around all the other protections. Instead, have a dedicated, isolated guest network that can’t access your primary systems.
Update, update, update. Of course, we have all seen what happens when an update goes bad — the Crowdstrike fiasco comes to mind — but that kind of thing is rare. One of your best defenses for your systems is to keep them up-to-date since both hardware and software manufacturers are constantly on the lookout for new ways to steal data and hack into systems, and those updates are designed to plug any new holes or exploits.

Big data, AI, and automation are the future of our world. They will impact every facet of our lives, including the ways we communicate with one another, and print — like it or not — is included. We don’t need to be on the bleeding edge of every new AI innovation that hits the market, but it would be folly to completely ignore the shifting tides of technology. If you want to see your business continue to not just survive in this crazy new reality we’re all living in but grow and thrive, then now is the time to consider how to use these new tools as they evolve.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with them; try new things, and try something new or different when something doesn’t work. Not every tool, AI algorithm, or robot overlord will suit every business. Play around with what’s available today and keep a close eye on what’s coming tomorrow. The robots, after all, are already here.