The Biotechnology Community of Interest released a study on the future of biotechnology in April, titled “Bio-Futures 2050: Defense Impacts and Opportunities.”
The big picture findings show a convergence of biotechnology, automation and artificial intelligence that will transform all facets of life by the year 2050. It will also alter how the Defense Department executes its mission.
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The study predicts that the first wave of biomanufactured national security materials will see economically competitive replacements that are “as-is” substitutions. “As is” refers to a chemical produced by the fermentation of sugars instead of the distillation of fossil fuel. Chemically, the product is identical regardless of the way it is produced. This will include high-value defense commodity chemicals such as energetics and fuels, all produced far more cleanly.
Related on the SLP
By the mid-2030s we can expect to see a second wave of biotechnology development — the introduction of reactive and responsive sensory materials that cannot be produced using traditional petrochemical production technologies. These materials will be able to sense, react and respond to the environment.
As the Defense Department approaches the year 2050, the study team predicts the commercial introduction of living biomaterials that are composed of bio-engineered living cells that are animate, programmable, interactive and can sustain themselves to some degree.
