Interview with AI Chatbot ChatGPT on the 3D Printing Market

Our interview today is truly unique: we have interviewed artificial intelligence (AI)! We wanted to test the now well-known ChatGPT and thought we would interview it as we would a 3D printing expert. ChatGPT (short for Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is a chatbot system developed by OpenAI, based on an artificial intelligence model using machine learning technology. When we asked it to introduce itself, it told us, “I’m here to help you solve your problems. I will be glad to help you in any way I can.” In particular, ChatGPT can not only answer questions on a wide variety of topics, but also interpret, compose text, and generate images based on input. But what does ChatGPT know about 3D printing? To find out, we asked the questions we usually ask industry professionals in our weekly interviews. In our questions, we refer to the year 2021, because the bot only has access to information up to this year. What did it say? Will it be reliable? Read on to find out!

3DN: Hello, ChatGPT! Do You Know 3Dnatives?

“Yes, 3Dnatives is an online platform that offers information, news and guides on everything related to 3D printing innovation and technologies. 3Dnatives offers a wide range of content on 3D printers, filaments, materials, software, innovations, designs, projects, and more. The platform is based on an editorial model that provides detailed information on everything related to 3D printing. It is aimed at professionals and key players in the industry. It exists in eight languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.”

• Close, but not quite! 3Dnatives exists today in 5 languages: English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian. For the other languages, time will tell! This first response shows that, while well structured, ChatGPT responses need to be verified to be sure of their accuracy.

3DN: What Were the Main Applications of 3D Printing in 2021?

“3D printing was used in a wide range of applications in 2021. First, prototype and model production: 3D printing has been used to rapidly create product prototypes and architectural models, allowing engineers and designers to test and improve their designs before mass production. Second, for custom manufacturing: 3D printing enables the production of custom objects on demand, without the need to create molds or expensive tooling. Third, for spare parts manufacturing: 3D printing can be used to produce spare parts for machinery and equipment, allowing companies to keep equipment running without having to wait for spare parts to be delivered. Fourth, Medicine: 3D printing has been used to create prosthetics, implants, molds for the production of custom orthodontic appliances, and anatomical models for medical training. Finally, architecture: 3D printing has been used to create models of buildings and structures, enabling architects to visualize and test their designs before construction.”