Bringing Agentic AI into Real Print Workflows

Artificial intelligence in print is moving beyond experimentation and into practical application. For the next PrintPulse Live webinar, OPIA welcomes Christopher Smyth and Lee Eldridge for a session titled “Beyond the Prompt: Agentic AI for Print Professionals.”

Taking place on February 17, 2026, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. EST, this live online session explores how AI can be structured to support real production environments, not just isolated chat tools.

Christopher Smyth: Process, Standards, and Production Efficiency

Christopher Smyth, MBA, is an Associate Professor in Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Graphic Communications Management. His background combines business analytics, operations leadership, and process improvement across publishing and print production environments.

Before moving into academia, Christopher held senior operational roles at Rogers Communications and St. Joseph Communications, where he led premedia teams, implemented workflow innovations, and drove measurable efficiency improvements. His experience includes introducing online proofing workflows, streamlining production systems, and managing complex content distribution processes.

Christopher is also active in industry standards development, including work with Canada’s TC 130 group for ISO standards, bringing a structured, systems-based perspective to automation and quality control in print.

Lee Eldridge: Practical AI Adoption in Creative and Print Environments

Lee Eldridge is a researcher and educator in The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University, teaching in the Graphic Communications Management and Creative Industries programs.

His work focuses on how AI tools, automation, and data infrastructure are changing creative and print-related roles, particularly within small and medium-sized enterprises. Lee combines academic research with hands-on industry experience, including leadership in interactive solutions, web-to-print systems, and cross-media technologies.

As a Director of the Ontario Printing and Imaging Association, Lee also works directly with industry partners to bridge research and real-world production challenges.

What This Session Will Explore

“Beyond the Prompt” introduces the concept of agentic AI, giving AI systems defined roles and responsibilities, then connecting them to production data, tools, and workflows. Rather than isolated chatbot experiments, the focus is on measurable improvements in estimating, prepress, customer service, and production decision-making.

The session will also explore data-sovereign AI in a Canadian context and why infrastructure, standards, and implementation strategy matter for printers and print buyers.

Join the Conversation

This PrintPulse Live webinar is designed for print leaders, operations managers, technologists, and decision-makers who want to understand where AI fits within structured production environments.

Register today to explore how agentic AI can move from theory into practical, workflow-based application within Ontario’s print and packaging sector.

Images by Christopher Smyth and Lee Eldridge