Introducing the print industry’s first AI-powered quoting engine
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Today, Gelato is launching the AI Estimator, the first quoting engine in the global print industry powered entirely by artificial intelligence.
For decades, quoting has been print’s biggest bottleneck—manual, inconsistent, and slow to scale. But not anymore. GelatoConnect’s AI Estimator delivers precise estimates in just 15 seconds and customer-ready quotes in under five minutes. It’s fast. It’s consistent. And it’s already helping PSPs win more business, with less effort.
Quoting has been broken for too long
In most print operations today, quoting is still stuck in spreadsheets—dependent on a handful of experts who know how to price jobs correctly. That process is slow, manual, and often the reason work is lost.
Too slow to respond? The job goes elsewhere.
Too generous with pricing? Margins erode.
Too cautious? The quote isn’t competitive.
The AI Estimator removes that risk—replacing manual quoting with an automated, scalable, and margin-protective process.
A game-changer for early adopters
ESP Colour and Hudson Printing were among the first PSPs to trial the AI Estimator. Both are already seeing measurable business impact.
“We can now generate quotes in about 15 seconds, simply by copying and pasting an email or typing into an AI prompt box,” said Simon Smogur, CEO of ESP Colour. “Speed, margin confidence, and accuracy first time – we’re on an eight-week up-streak in margin vs. last year.”
At Hudson Printing, quoting is now embedded directly into the website—making the entire buying experience faster and more accessible for customers.
“Buying print has always been too hard,” said Paul Hudson, CEO. “With GelatoConnect’s AI Estimator, that barrier disappears. Print buyers can go to our website, describe what they want, and get an instant quote. That simplicity drives growth and transforms the buying experience.”
Built for speed, scale, and precision
The AI Estimator isn’t just fast—it’s deeply configurable to your costs, your logic, and your brand. It works across quoting teams, ecommerce storefronts, and even direct customer interactions.
You can quote:
Through a simple prompt interface
From pasted email text
Or via embedded forms on your website
And behind the scenes, AI does the rest.
How it works
Here’s what happens from input to quote:
Refine – AI translates free-text requests into structured production requirements.
Generate – AI combines customer inputs with PSP cost parameters.
Validate – Each estimate is checked for accuracy, competitiveness, and compliance.
Output – The system produces a branded, ready-to-send quote instantly.
The result: a step-change in print estimating — from slow and error-prone to fast, automated, and consistent.
Built for every kind of print service provider
Whether you're quoting for digital business cards or complex offset runs, the AI Estimator adapts to your operation. It’s designed to work alongside:
In-house estimating teams
Direct customer quoting via your website
Sales teams needing faster responses on the road
Ecommerce storefronts needing real-time pricing
You can even build different quote experiences based on customer segment, product type, or geography.
Why it matters now
In Gelato’s 2025 State of Print Production Report, 80% of print professionals said AI and automation were critical to their future—but most weren’t yet investing in them.
With AI Estimator, GelatoConnect is closing that gap—giving PSPs a plug-and-play way to unlock real business value from AI. No IT project. No integration delays. Just instant quoting, embedded directly into your operations.
Henrik Müller-Hansen, Founder and CEO of Gelato, said it best:
“Quoting consumes enormous time and resources across the global print industry. By applying AI, print can finally leapfrog from manual bottlenecks to automated growth. This isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about winning more business, faster.”