Bernd Zipper · GURU · Zipcon · Power to Move

At Canon’s Power to Move event in Venlo, Morten Reitoft sits down with one of the printing industry’s most recognized thought leaders, Bernd Zipper from Zipcon, to discuss the technologies and trends that may fundamentally reshape how print is bought, sold, and produced in the years ahead.

Having delivered keynote presentations and guided attendees through Canon’s technology showcase, Zipper shares his perspective on the industry’s rapid evolution and why artificial intelligence has become a central connector across workflow, automation, e-commerce, and production. While many discussions about AI focus on tools and applications, Zipper believes the real transformation lies in how AI enables entirely new ways to connect systems, processes, and customers.

A major topic of the conversation is the emerging Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) initiative and the work being undertaken by organizations such as Initiative Online Print, Intergraf, the BVDM, the Ghent Workgroup, and others to prepare print for a future where AI agents may become active buyers of print products. Rather than navigating websites and order forms, future customers may simply speak to their devices, with AI automatically sourcing, ordering, and delivering print products through standardized communication protocols.

Zipper explains why this development could become existential for printers. As commerce becomes increasingly automated, print providers must ensure their systems can communicate with the platforms, protocols, and technologies that will power future purchasing decisions. Those who fail to adapt may find themselves disconnected from entirely new sources of demand.

The discussion also explores market consolidation, changing business models, the growing divide between large platforms, niche specialists, and local heroes, and the challenges faced by medium-sized printing companies operating in an increasingly regulated and technology-driven environment.

This is a wide-ranging and thought-provoking conversation about AI, e-commerce, automation, industry transformation, and why the next generation of print infrastructure may be very different from anything the industry has seen before.