Exclusive | AI-designed sneakers promise the perfect fit so do they live up to the hype?

As the wellness world races toward hyperpersonalization, the latest frontier is landing at your feet.A new wave of footwear companies is using artificial intelligence and 3D printing to create shoes tailored to each customer’s unique foot shape — promising a level of comfort, support and performance that traditional mass-produced sneakers can’t match.“The era of one-size-fits-most is coming to an end,” Jennie Chen, chief operating officer and cofounder of FitX, which makes custom-made running shoes, told The Post.In some ways, the footwear industry is returning to its roots.“For most of human history, shoes were custom-made.It was only recently, in the 1800s, that shoes came in standardized sizing,” said Ben Weiss, founder of Syntilay, which leverages AI and 3D printing to create highly personalized shoes and slides. While 3D printing had a moment in the 2010s, the technology never fully took off in consumer footwear, hindered by high costs, material limitations, slow manufacturing and complaints about comfort.But advances in AI are helping companies overcome those hurdles by optimizing designs, speeding up production and reducing waste — while also making customized footwear more affordable.Syntilay’s AI-designed, 3D-printed footwear starts at $119.

At FitX, consumers can snag a pair of custom kicks for the “founding runner” price of $199.Other players are pushing prices even lower: Zellerfeld, which manufactures 3D-printed footwear from independent creators and major brands, offers styles starting at $79.At Fitasy, precision-fit footwear costs $260 — still well below some premium standard-fit offerings from industry giants like Nike and Adidas.The best part? For all these companies, you don’t need to visit a specialty store to get fitted.All you need is a smartphone camera and about 10 minutes.“Traditionally, getting custom shoes meant visiting a specialized clinic, enduring plaster casting and waiting months for a product that was r...