Occasionally, a question pops into the hobby that stops you mid-brushstroke, and the one I tackle in this video definitely fits that description. It came from Evangelos Georgopoulos, who reached out to me through my blog to highlight an article he’d written and to ask for wider opinions on a rather provocative topic: will AI eventually paint our miniatures? It’s the kind of question that makes you smile nervously, look at your paint desk, and wonder whether the machines are quietly plotting behind your back.
This blog post accompanies the full video discussion, where I take a deeper look at how developments in 3D printing, colour-print technology, and AI-assisted tools might reshape the future of our hobby. Only a few years ago, colour 3D printers were clumsy, experimental machines that produced chunky, multicoloured blocks. Today, they’re edging toward the ability to print miniatures in full colour at resolutions sharp enough to compete with hand painting—at least at tabletop distance. When those printers eventually become affordable for everyday wargamers, the landscape could shift dramatically.
The video explores this evolution from early 3D printing to the modern resin revolution, and into the rapidly expanding world of AI. Sculpting tools are already becoming smarter, slicing software is increasingly automated, and digital workflows are accelerating. The next logical step is a printer that produces fully 'painted' miniatures straight out of the machine... and it is starting to feel less like science fiction and more like something quietly creeping over the horizon.
But the real heart of the discussion isn’t just technological; it’s psychological. Will wargamers choose convenience over craft? Will traditional painting become a niche pursuit? Or are miniature painters simply too passionate, too stubborn, and too invested in the creative process to be replaced? Add in the wider issue of “AI slop” on social media, and the question gets even more complex. We’re already learning to spot fake images online; the physical world might turn out to be far less forgiving.
If you’re curious about where all of this might lead, the video digs into the possibilities, and as always, the conversation is the best part.
