How to supercharge profits and productivity with AI

Digital Ink’s CEO Chris Minn, an early adopter in his business, sets out the most profitable ways to introduce AI into your business.

For somebody who has spent his career in developing print software, Digital Ink’s CEO Chris Minn says it’s slightly challenging for him to admit that the real value in AI for print – at least for now – isn’t quite as shocking as you might think.

“When people ask, what’s the most profitable way to introduce AI into their business, we have the answer, and it’s actually thanks to FESPA Middle East,” says Chris, who is based in Oman and an active member of FESPA’s group in the region.

“We ran an event called the ‘AI Lab’ during this year’s Middle East Conference in Dubai, and we brought in some AI consultants called Koshima. They said we should step away from thinking about presses for a moment, step away from inks and substrates, and instead use AI to sell print properly, to account properly, and to run HR systems properly. Look at every department, implement AI correctly, and you can achieve better efficiency.

“That really was the key moment for me when I realised, instead of starting with a focus on AI and automation, we should be more efficient in the office first. It’s very easy to get caught up in the excitement of AI but, actually, AI can be very profitable if you just do the basics with it at very low cost.”

That focus on the basics is what Chris refers to as “looking for the 1%”: saving 1% each day in time and productivity without spending a ridiculous amount of money on new software. In truth, the opportunity is there to achieve far more than 1% of improvements.

“What we’re all focused on now is ChatGPT. Creatively, it’s brilliant. However, AI is much more powerful with the basics. In time, we might go on to look at workflow automation, web to print into MIS [management information systems], and how quickly we get the job onto the press and shipped. But first, we’ve got to sell properly,” Chris says.

“By that I mean using AI tools such as a note-taker which, once you finish your sales call, can provide you with clear, concise actions and follow-ups. It helps you to become more of an efficient salesperson, without taking your job away…