--- title: "\"First AI-Designed Pistol\": Activist Wilson Unveils 3D-Printed WASP, but First Shot Misfires" description: "Cody Wilson has unveiled the WASP, a 3D-printed .22 caliber pistol that he claims is the first firearm designed by AI. At the demonstration, the first shot misfired, and experts called the device only conditionally functional." date: 2026-10-17T11:43:54.520Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/wasp-ai-designed-3d-printed-pistol-misfire tags: [3d-printed-weapon, artificial-intelligence, wasp-pistol, defense-distributed, ghost-guns] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # "First AI-Designed Pistol": Activist Wilson Unveils 3D-Printed WASP, but First Shot Misfires ![Homemade 3D-printed WASP pistol in gray with a plastic frame and metal parts on a black background](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/17/was-pistolet-sozdannyi-ii-3d-pechat-osechka/was-pistolet-sozdannyi-ii-3d-pechat-osechka-1.webp) ## Key Points - Cody Wilson (Defense Distributed) unveiled the WASP, a single-shot 3D-printed .22 pistol which he calls the first weapon designed by AI. - The design was developed by a proprietary GatGPT model based on the DEFCAD blueprint library; printing the frame took about six hours. - At the demonstration, the first shot misfired, and the weapon functioned in two out of three instances. - Experts (The Verge, Royal Armouries) viewed the WASP skeptically: awkward grip, unfinished trigger guard, "conditional functionality." - The case has reignited the "ghost gun" debate and concerns that AI will lower the barrier for homemade firearms. American activist Cody Wilson, known for promoting weapons manufactured using additive manufacturing methods, has unveiled the WASP pistol, which he claims is the first firearm ever designed using artificial intelligence. The new device was manufactured at the Defense Distributed headquarters in Austin, Texas. The device is a single-shot pistol chambered in .22 caliber: its frame is 3D-printed from standard plastic, while individual components are made of metal. In appearance, the WASP resembles Wilson's earlier Liberator model, and the printing process itself took about six hours. ### Demonstration: Misfire on the First Shot During a public demonstration, the pistol failed to fire on the first try — the initial shot resulted in a misfire. Only on a second attempt did the weapon discharge and puncture a cardboard target. Overall, during testing, the WASP functioned successfully in two out of three instances, which in itself became a subject of discussion: for a device claimed to be the product of AI work, such instability appears telling. ### How the WASP Was Created: GatGPT Model and DEFCAD Library To develop the pistol, creators used GatGPT, a proprietary AI model built on the extensive DEFCAD digital weapon file library. The DEFCAD project, launched back in 2012, provides public access to blueprints for firearms and their components. According to Wilson, a company employee asked the model to redesign an existing single-shot pistol configuration to achieve complete functionality and an original appearance. The AI proposed the WASP design, after which the team approved the plan and manufactured the parts. Currently, access to GatGPT is open to only a limited number of users. Wilson emphasizes that the WASP initially existed as a digital model and calls it an AI product, although the creation process itself began with a specific human prompt. ### Expert Assessments: From "Awkwardness" to "Conditional Functionality" Experts interviewed by The Verge were skeptical about the quality of the development. Firearms historian Ashley Hlebinsky drew attention to the unusual grip shape and unfinished trigger guard. Jonathan Ferguson of the UK's Royal Armouries museum described the pistol as only conditionally functional: in his assessment, the weapon is uncomfortable to hold and aim, and its design does not look technically well-thought-out. Thus, Wilson's claimed "first" in the realm of AI weapon design remains questionable from an engineering quality standpoint. ### Context: The Return of the "Ghost Gun" Debate The emergence of the WASP has renewed attention on the issue of so-called "ghost guns" — firearms manufactured without serial numbers and standard manufacturer oversight. Critics fear that AI-powered tools will make it easier for people without technical experience to create such items. A representative for Everytown, an organization advocating for stricter gun control, stated that such tools lower the barrier for self-manufacturing firearms and pose a threat to public safety. Wilson, in turn, believes that such systems will eventually allow new designs to be created faster: the more files in the database and the more actively users discuss solutions with the model, the more sophisticated the results will be, in his view. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Первый в мире пистолет, созданный ИИ, распечатали на 3D-принтере: выглядит странно, первый выстрел дал осечку](https://www.ixbt.com/news/2026/10/16/pervyi-v-mire-pistolet-sozdannyi-ii-raspecatali-na-3d-printere-vygliadit-stanno-pervyi-vystrel-dal-osecku.html) - Primary source: WASP description, GatGPT/DEFCAD, demonstration results (misfire, 2 out of 3 shots), quotes from The Verge and Everytown experts. All facts in the article are taken from this text. ## FAQ ### What is the WASP and who created it? The WASP is a single-shot .22 caliber (5.6 mm) pistol with a 3D-printed plastic frame and metal parts. It was unveiled by Cody Wilson at Defense Distributed's headquarters in Austin; its design, according to him, was proposed by the GatGPT AI model. ### Did the pistol fire during the demonstration? Partially. The first shot misfired; on a second attempt, the weapon fired and punctured a cardboard target. Overall, the WASP functioned in two out of three test instances. ### Why are experts skeptical about the WASP? Firearms historian Ashley Hlebinsky noted the unusual grip shape and unfinished trigger guard, while Jonathan Ferguson of the Royal Armouries called the pistol only conditionally functional: it is uncomfortable to hold and aim, and the design does not look technically sound.