3stepIT invests in AI to reinvent used device evaluation

3stepIT has launched its Artificial Intelligence (AI) device evaluation tool, a digital solution designed to streamline, automate, and optimise the assessment of used IT devices.

The AI tool, developed in partnership with Aixia and initially deployed exclusively for laptops, will be rolled out in Sweden in May and the other 3stepIT refurbishing centres in Finland and Norway by the end of 2024.

3stepIT’s circular business model offers businesses the opportunity to procure, manage and return their corporate devices after their first usage cycle. 3stepIT then refurbishes the devices and prepares them for their second life in one of its three centres in the Nordics, making them available to secondary users.

The AI quality evaluation tool is an industry first; it leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse pictures of the devices and data analytics and machine learning to further support the process, empowering 3stepIT’s employees to offer customers consistent and unbiased evaluations of device quality.

The AI software was trained by 3stepIT’s production experts on more than 35,000 devices to ensure it can deliver high-value results across a wide range of models.

Beyond identifying specific damages, the AI quality evaluation tool also quantifies the overall level of wear and tear, generating a standardised quality score. This score empowers businesses to receive precise and consistent grading information about the devices they have used. This approach also enables businesses to understand and address behaviours that impact the overall lifespan of devices, increasing the chances of them having a second life, in line with circular economy principles.

“Unbiased evaluation of device quality after their first lifecycle is essential to encourage more businesses to transition to a circular approach for their technology,” said Jakob Lagander, CEO of 3stepIT. “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”.

“We thank you for the trust in allowing us to be a part of 3StepIT's innovative development and for the opportunity to deliver the technology of tomorrow, which not only enables but positions 3StepIT as a leader with the help of the new AI technology in their production environment. For Aixia, sustainability and reuse are incredibly important, and with the new AI technology, we enable a new level around this.” said Mattias Bergkvist, CEO of Aixia.