Artificial intelligence is reshaping how commercial printer providers get work done. But behind the headlines and hype, most printers are not pursuing radical transformation. Instead, AI is being applied in practical, often incremental ways as companies look to improve efficiency, reduce friction, and better support their people and processes. That real-world activity is documented in the Alliance Insights research study, AI Adoption in the Printing Industry: From Curiosity to Competitive Advantage, which combines an industry survey with in-depth executive interviews to capture how printers are actually using AI today and where they see it heading next.
This article is part of a series that shares a common introduction but highlights a different commercial printer case study in each installment.
Presented here is one of three expanded case studies developed from executive interviews conducted as part of the study; shorter versions of these profiles appear in the report. To encourage open and candid discussion around strategy, culture, and risk, all participants requested anonymity. Together, the series offers a grounded look at how commercial printers are moving deliberately from early experimentation to purposeful, value-driven AI adoption.
Across these commercial printer case studies, AI adoption is neither uniform nor rushed. Instead, it is intentional, problem-driven, and deeply tied to leadership behavior. The companies making the most progress are not chasing tools, they are defining rules, testing narrowly, and expanding only when value is proven.
Other case studies include:
- Transforming the Front End — Using AI to Streamline Operations, Commercial Printer with $17 million in annual revenue
- Using AI to Amplify Productivity and Client Value. Commercial Printer with $40 million to $60 million in annual revenue
Case Study: Strategically Building an AI-Powered Future
Integrating AI is not about chasing hype, reports a commercial printer with annual revenue of $20 million to $40 million; it’s about removing friction, improving efficiency, and using data with purpose.
AI adoption isn’t a single initiative—it’s a phased, step-by-step effort guided by pragmatism, governance, and a focus on removing friction from everyday work. Leadership views AI as inevitable but believes the biggest risk isn’t moving too fast or too slow; it’s adopting without guardrails or a clear business purpose.
“We’re not using it to replace people,” the company president said. “We’re using it to work smarter and everything still requires human review.”
That mindset guides the company’s AI journey, which focuses on practical experimentation, early wins in marketing and estimating, and longer-term goals around process optimization, forecasting, and lead scoring.
AI Roots: Marketing and Content First
The company’s first meaningful use of AI came in marketing. Tools such as ChatGPT were used to draft blog posts, outline SEO strategies, support research, and generate content frameworks aligned with brand guidelines. AI-assisted imagery was also introduced to accelerate creative iteration.
One early experiment stood out: a podcast entirely scripted and voiced by AI. “It was shockingly good,” the president admitted. “It had this cool, hip banter. I hate to admit it.” The result helped build confidence internally and demonstrated that generative AI could deliver quality output—when paired with human oversight.
From the start, leadership established a non-negotiable rule: nothing goes out “raw.” All AI-generated content must be edited, verified, and aligned with the company’s tone and standards. “AI is not a decision-maker,” the president said. “It’s a helper.”
Read this full article on Printing Impressions, a publication of PRINTING United Alliance, ASI’s strategic partner.
