Print4All Conference 2026: People Stay in Charge as AI Reshapes Printing
23 July 2026: Print4All Conference 2026 brought the printing and converting supply chain to Centro Congressi Ville Ponti in Varese on 1 and 2 July and one idea ran through the two days: artificial intelligence can advise, but people still decide.
Organised by ACIMGA and ARGI with Fiera Milano, the event drew 340 participants from 240 companies, along with 72 international delegates from 22 countries, 22 speakers, 23 media partners and 18 industry associations. The programme ran under the theme “Humans Print the World,” built on two pillars, Human+Machine and Human+Life.
ACIMGA president Marco Calcagni, ARGI president Marco Marangoni and Enrico Barboglio, director of both associations, opened the conference by announcing PACTA, the Printing & Converting Technology Alliance. The new body brings the two associations together to represent the printing and converting technology supply chain more closely and support companies across it.
AI advises, people decide
The central message on technology was blunt: intelligence cannot be delegated. Speakers agreed that AI can deliver forecasts, analysis and recommendations that improve efficiency and workflows, but that evaluation, interpretation and the final call stay with people. Company case studies made the same point from the shop floor: as technologies standardise, the real differentiator is not the tool but the skill to run it, feed it good data and keep checking its output.
Sustainability drew similar realism. Delegates argued that a low-impact solution only counts if it is also technically reliable, scalable and economically viable, and that getting there needs materials suppliers, technology makers and end users working together rather than one link carrying the load.
Italy and the US compared
Nathan Safran of Alliance Insights and Stefano Portolani of Stratego Group’s Printing Research Centre presented a study using the same questionnaire in both markets. It found 76% of US respondents already use AI against 57% in Italy, though Italian adoption is growing faster: among firms not yet using it, 40% in Italy expect to within a year, compared with 31% in the US. The main barrier in both markets is no longer access to the technology but integrating it into everyday processes.
Geopolitical analyst Alessandro Aresu widened the lens to US-China competition, strategic dependencies in energy and raw materials and talent as the deciding factor in future competitiveness. A separate session on inclusive, “Design for All” packaging argued that readability, accessibility and clear information now work as commercial tools, not just design choices.
The road to Print4All 2027
Paola Sarco, Head of Building and Industrial Exhibitions at Fiera Milano, previewed Print4All 2027, which returns in a new biennial format from 25 to 28 May 2027 at Fiera Milano. Highlights include Print Matter(s), developed with Sapienza University of Rome and focused on new materials; the Corrugated Experience; and Print4Future, aimed at drawing young people into an industry short on specialised skills
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