Some readers may consider that a revolting oversimplification, but it is a helpful one to make a point about how 3D scanning, 3D printing, and CAD work do (and don’t) work together.

How to 3D print your creation Our resident CNET 3D printing expert James Bricknell has taken this craze one step further and, using some clever AI technology, 3D-printed one of these ChatGPT images.

How do you 3D-print without a 3D printer? If you don't own a 3D printer, you can still 3D print any 3D model you found through a database or designed through a software tool.