Delivering real-time insights, predictive analytics and workflow optimisation, the AI, called ‘HP Nio’, will be able to give users detailed information and recommendations – simply by talking to it as if it was a person.
Unveiled at HP’s industrial print community event Dscoop Long Beach alongside other AI innovations, HP Nio uses insights from HP’s PrintOS workflow software to help printers maximise their efficiency and find new ways to improve productivity.
“For the first time, AI advancements enable us to automate what was previously impossible, pushing the boundaries of automation in print”, said Joan Perez Pericot, VP and general manager of HP Industrial Print Software & Solutions.
“Today’s announcements reflect our commitment to delivering on our vision to better automate and control the entire production floor end-to-end with less human intervention.”
Nio will work by giving printers a single touchpoint for HP’s operational data tools like Print Beat and Knowledge Zone, meaning users simply need ask the bot a question, and it will provide detailed answers and suggestions.
HP said the AI would soon integrate with other apps within its PrintOS software suite, including HP Site Flow, to suggest actionable steps towards workflow improvements.
“Ultimately, HP Nio will act as an intelligent co-creator, enhancing the PrintOS experience and helping automate the entire print workflow from start to finish,” HP said.
Haim Levit, SVP and division president of HP’s industrial print wing, said the announcements – made on the 20th anniversary of the Dscoop event – marked the beginning of a new era for the industry.
"For two decades, HP and the Dscoop Edge community have been driving the transformation of digital print – raising the bar for quality, versatility, productivity, cost efficiency, and sustainability," Levit said.
“This year at Dscoop we celebrate that legacy and embark on a new journey – one in which AI will revolutionize the world of print as we know it today – opening a new era where presses become autonomous and workflows are connected, automated, and orchestrated from creation to delivery.”
Further upgrades to HP’s digital print ecosystem announced at Dscoop include updates to HP Site Flow including the ability to integrate its ShipStation API with over 100 carriers, create custom production plans and integrate with Mintsoft for warehouse management.
HP’s Brand Centre, the software platform designed to help speed up customer on-boarding and improve order tracking, has also received upgrades intended to make it easier for print buyers to manage and share their brand’s product catalogue and cut onboarding to a few days.
HP has likewise launched a brand-new service, HP Business Centre, to help its customers better manage their finances while overseeing lifespan score, impressions performance and invoicing across their digital print portfolio, and a new CO2 emissions calculator for its Sustainability Amplifier Program.
Dscoop Long Beach runs from 14-17 May.
