Synthetic biology is a burgeoning field that involves synthesis of novel biological systems not generally found in nature through re-designing and engineering biological parts. Metamaterials are a class of non-living materials that achieve exotic material properties from artificial unit cells by periodic/nonperiodic arrangement. Artificial intelligence and big data are known as the fourth paradigm of science after empirical, theoretical, and computational-driven approaches, meanwhile, the fourth industrial revolution after steam power, electrical energy, and information technology. Some new concepts are proposed by merging synthetic biology, metamaterials and artificial intelligence together in this paper. We will see the expansion of research areas from synthetic biology, metamaterials and artificial intelligence into bio-metamaterials/meta-biomaterials, intelligent metamaterials, intelligent synthetic biology/bio-AI, and even to intelligent bio-metamaterials. We believe that such interdisciplinary studies will provide new ideas for science and technology innovations and are expected to develop disruptive technologies in the fields of biomedicine, materials science and information technology.

synthetic biology  /  metamaterial  /  artificial intelligence  /  living functional materials