Gun Rights Activist Cody Wilson Unveils First AI-Generated Firearm

Gun-rights activist Cody Wilson has unveiled what he calls the first AI-made gun, a 3D-printed .22 caliber handgun named the WASP. Wilson and an associate tested the weapon outside Defense Distributed headquarters in Austin, Texas, using a DIY mount and a long string to pull the trigger from a distance. The initial attempt resulted in a misfire when the striker failed to prime the cartridge, but a second pull successfully fired a live round through a cardboard target. Wilson later fired the gun himself, missing slightly high, leaving the weapon with two successful shots out of three.

The AI Gunsmith

The WASP was created using a custom, unfiltered AI model called GatGPT, which is trained on the gun file repository DEFCAD. A Defense Distributed employee prompted the AI to design a new weapon based on an existing single-shot model called the Harlot. Chat logs show the AI proposed a plan, listed design changes, and developed the WASP, which features a quirky, bubbly grip and an exposed trigger. The plastic parts were printed on a Bambu Lab printer in about six hours using standard filaments and basic metal components. Wilson argues that the technology represents an AI that can generate guns rather than a finished product itself.

Safety Concerns

Gun safety advocates and critics argue that AI-generated gun tools lower the technical barrier for novices to manufacture untraceable ghost guns without background checks. Everytown senior vice president Justin Wagner criticized the development, stating that Wilson wants to allow anyone to manufacture weapons regardless of their legal eligibility. The weapon's debut also intersects with ongoing policy battles over 3D printer regulations in states like New York and California, where lawmakers are pushing for firearm-blocking software. Meanwhile, Wilson has introduced a tool called Hochulization to alter file hashes and evade detection systems.

Context

Ghost guns are firearms made without serial numbers, making them difficult for law enforcement to trace. The legal debate surrounding 3D-printed firearms largely centers on whether computer code for gun designs constitutes free speech under the law.