Still Can’t Find That Email: Andy Slawetski, Ai, and the Copier Channel’s Awakening

Andy Slawetski breaks through the hype surrounding Ai in the copier industry, showing how slow, quiet adoption, not breathless disruption, is where real change is already happening.

By Celeste Dame

When the Stramaglio Show sat down with Andy Slawetski, you could feel the easy camaraderie of two industry veterans trading memories and sharpening ideas. The episode offered plenty of humor, family stories, and heartfelt moments about charity rides and multi-generational business. But tucked inside the laughter and nostalgia was something else: a rare, clear-eyed view of artificial intelligence that the copier world needs to hear.

Andy Slawetski is not a hype man. He is a witness. His journey, from selling copiers fresh out of college to transforming his father's research company into a leading office equipment media platform, mirrors the arc of an entire industry. Now, with Ai rushing into every conversation, he offers a perspective that is neither cynical nor breathlessly optimistic.

“We’re scratching the surface,” he said about Ai. “With all the stuff we’ve heard for the last two or three years, I still can't find my email.”

The Hidden Giant: Why Print Still Pays the Bills at Canon

 

Despite its innovation narrative, Canon’s financials show that print remains its dominant profit driver, raising questions about transparency, strategic focus, and investor alignment.

Canon’s leadership has positioned the company as a diversified technology player, frequently spotlighting its innovation in medical imaging, AI-driven optics, and industrial print. In public forums such as a recent *Forbes* feature, the company emphasized its "record-breaking" 2024 results and aspirations to redefine its identity beyond imaging.

Yet the numbers tell a different story.

Konica’s Forecast Miss Sparks Wider Reckoning for Copier Industry

Ray Stasieczko’s analysis of Konica Minolta’s losses highlights a growing credibility gap between marketing promises and field realities.

By Celeste Dame

Special to The Wall Street Journal

In an industry historically driven by hardware specs and service contracts, a growing sense of disillusionment is spreading among front-line sales professionals. Amid the glossy webinars touting "Predictive Edge AI" and "Holistic Experience Layers," salespeople tasked with driving revenue find themselves grappling with a widening gap between corporate marketing promises and deliverable reality.