3stepIT unveils AI tool for fair assessment of pre-owned tech

3stepIT, a European provider of circular technology, has announced the launch of a revolutionary Artificial Intelligence (AI) device evaluation tool. This novel digital solution aims to streamline, automate, and optimise the assessment of pre-owned IT devices, offering an unprecedented level of objectivity and fairness.

The AI quality evaluation tool, a first in the industry, was developed in collaboration with Aixia. Initially deployed exclusively for laptops, the tool uses AI to examine images of the devices and further bolsters the process with data analytics and machine learning techniques. This empowers 3stepIT's employees to provide customers with consistent and unbiased evaluations of device quality.

3stepIT's experts on production trained the AI software on over 35,000 devices to ensure it delivers high-value results across a variety of models. This AI device evaluation tool is scheduled to be rolled out in 3stepIT's centres, starting in Sweden in May, with the remaining 3stepIT refurbishing centres in Finland and Norway set to follow by the end of the year.

With its business model of procuring, managing, and returning corporate devices after their first usage cycle, 3stepIT is showing the way towards sustainable technology. After refurbishing the returned devices for second-life use, the company prepares them for availability to secondary users in its three centres in the Nordic region.

Beyond identifying specific damages to the devices, the AI quality evaluation tool also gauges the overall level of wear and tear, resulting in a standardised quality score. This score enables businesses to gain precise and consistent grading information about their used devices, thus encouraging sustainable behaviours that increase the longevity of the devices in accordance with circular economy principles.

Jakob Lagander, CEO of 3stepIT, emphasised the importance of unbiased evaluation of device quality after their initial lifecycle to facilitate the business world's transition to a circular approach to technology. He stated, "At 3stepIT, we have led the way in circular technology management for the past 26 years, and today, we are taking an important step to ensure even more peace of mind, transparency and reliability for the businesses choosing our services."

Expressing gratitude for 3StepIT's trust in them, Mattias Bergkvist, CEO of Aixia, stressed the importance of sustainability and reuse. He noted, "With the new AI technology, we enable a new level around this." 

The launch of 3stepIT's AI device evaluation tool marks a significant advancement in the realm of sustainable technology management. By providing objective and consistent assessments of pre-owned IT devices, the tool not only enhances transparency and reliability but also promotes the principles of circular economy. With its innovative approach, 3stepIT continues to pave the way for businesses to embrace a more sustainable and responsible approach to technology usage.