PRINTING United Alliance has released its second major AI research report, titled “AI Adoption in the Printing Industry: From Curiosity to Competitive Advantage.”

Produced by the Alliance Insights research team, this next report in its series underscores how artificial intelligence (AI) is moving from concept to reality across print market segments, redefining competitiveness and transforming operations. This report is the latest initiative in a massive undertaking in leading the industry in AI education, resources, events, and more, and can be accessed here.

The report will also be available at the new AI Pavilion at PRINTING United Expo. The event takes place October 22-24 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, USA. 

The State of AI in Printing

The new study, based on input from more than 300 companies and in-depth interviews with 16 executives across commercial printing, sign and graphics, book manufacturing, and apparel decoration, reveals that: 85% of respondents believe AI is critical to competitiveness, and 83% view it as a source of new opportunities. Printers are applying AI in customer communications, estimating, prepress, and workflow automation to achieve measurable ROI. The greatest barriers are not financial, but organizational—skills gaps, lack of clear use cases, and cultural resistance. Companies that develop a roadmap and governance around AI are already realizing stronger benefits and pulling ahead of their peers.

“PRINTING United Alliance has long led the industry through convergence and its one-roof approach,” says Mark Subers, chief innovation officer, PRINTING United Alliance. “Now, we are leading in helping members and the industry embrace the power of AI. This latest research is one more way the Alliance is equipping the community with actionable insights, strategies, and guardrails to thrive in this new era.”