Reviving Fax: AI Integration with ChatGPT in German Businesses

Fax : Reviving Fax: AI Integration with ChatGPT in German Businesses

In Germany, despite the rise of digital communication methods, faxing remains prevalent in many businesses. According to a study commissioned by the digital association Bitkom in the summer of 2024, over 75% of German companies still use fax machines. Interestingly, 25% of these companies use fax frequently to very frequently.

A company named Simple-Fax from Braunschweig has introduced a novel way to use this old technology by incorporating AI. They offer a service called Fax-KI, which allows businesses to communicate with OpenAI’s AI chatbot, ChatGPT, via fax. This service is primarily targeted at companies and their employees who still rely on fax machines.

Although Simple-Fax emphasizes that this is an early test phase, the Fax-KI experiment is mainly for entertainment purposes. Users can send queries to the company via fax on various topics, including math problems, historical data, translations, literature analyses, recipe suggestions, and technical support. However, there might be incorrect responses as it is still in the testing stage.

The service is almost free for users, with only a small fee for fax transmission to a landline number, which costs seven cents per page. Interested users need to register with Simple-Fax and load a prepaid system with amounts ranging from five to 50 euros, which will be used for billing.

Upon registration, users receive their own fax number, provided they load a minimum balance of 25 euros. Simple-Fax offers an alternative to traditional fax machines, allowing businesses and private customers to save on electricity, toner, paper, and phone line fees.

Despite being an old technology, invented in its current form by Xerox in 1964 and based on mid-19th-century telegraph patents, faxing is still actively used for several reasons. One of the primary reasons companies continue to use fax machines is communication with government agencies. Many businesses perceive faxing as more secure than postal mail, and habit also plays a role in its continued use.

The Bitkom study revealed that in two-thirds of the companies that still use fax, documents are at least partially sent in the traditional printed format. In nearly 20% of these companies, this older standard is exclusively used.

Simple-Fax aims to modernize this communication method by integrating AI, providing a bridge between old and new technologies. While the service is currently in its experimental phase, it highlights the enduring relevance of fax machines in certain sectors and the potential for innovation even in established technologies.

This initiative by Simple-Fax is a fascinating example of how traditional methods can be adapted to incorporate modern technological advancements, offering a glimpse into the future of business communication.

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