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This review analyzes how AI and 3D printing work together to improve healthcare management and personalized care.

February 11, 2026Open Access

Applications of 3D Printing and Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Management: A Narrative Review

Key Points

This review analyzes how AI and 3D printing work together to improve healthcare management and personalized care.
Review of applications from 2018 to 2025
Analysis of AI technologies enhancing 3D printing
Examination of regulatory and ethical considerations
Case studies of AI-enhanced 3D printing implementations
Evaluation of cost-effectiveness and decision-making processes
AI facilitates personalized medical devices and bioprinted tissues
Improvements in quality and efficiency of healthcare workflows
Identification of challenges in data governance and validation
Need for greater standardization in evaluation metrics
Highlighting a gap in long-term outcome data

Abstract

The integration of 3D printing and artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare management by driving innovations in personalized care, supply chain operations, and clinical workflows. This review offers a comprehensive overview and in-depth analysis of recent (2018–2025) applications where AI technologies enhance 3D printing within healthcare. We explore how AI-powered design and optimization facilitate the creation of patient-specific medical devices, implants, and even bioprinted tissues, while intelligent process control increases both quality and efficiency. Additionally, we examine regulatory and ethical considerations, including the evolution of frameworks for AI-enabled devices, as well as challenges in data governance, validation, and equitable access. The review takes a global perspective, presenting real-world case studies that showcase both successful implementations and ongoing challenges. We also discuss various perspectives and controversies, such as the balance between innovation and safety in autonomous AI design, and highlight areas where further research is needed. In contrast to previous narrative reviews that focus solely on clinical applications or technical aspects, this review uniquely evaluates the combined impact of AI and 3D printing on healthcare management—including cost-effectiveness, governance, decision-making processes, and point-of-care manufacturing. This work is particularly valuable for hospital administrators, clinical operations leaders, health policymakers, and biomedical innovation teams seeking to understand the broader implications of AI-enhanced 3D printing in healthcare management. Nevertheless, despite promising advancements, the field is constrained by heterogeneous evidence, a lack of standardized evaluation metrics, and insufficient long-term outcome data, which together limit the ability to fully assess the sustained impact of AI-integrated 3D printing in healthcare environments.

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