The complexity of living organisms cannot be reduced to mere mechanical processes; they are dynamic systems with interdependent parts that evolve and adapt in ways machines cannot. No machine can autonomously write its own program; biological organisms have had billions of years to develop complexity and abilities that machines have yet to achieve.

I started Ginkgo Bioworks to harness the power of biology for great things, as biology can self-replicate, self-repair, and self-assemble with precision that engineering disciplines can only dream of.

Nature has mastered the efficient conversion of atoms and DNA into machines, far surpassing our current manufacturing methods, which rely on welders and CNC machines.

I believe biology is the most powerful manufacturing platform on the planet, and I want to use it to build innovative solutions.

Cells can respond intelligently to their needs, demonstrating a form of intelligence that is not solely based on genetic programming or past experiences.

Every new project must incorporate simultaneous complexity and novelty across synthetic biology, material science, robotics, engineering, and computational design to create something truly innovative.

Biology is fundamentally digital; every organism is made up of sequences of DNA, and understanding how to program that DNA allows us to design biology to perform specific tasks.

The study of plants is advancing rapidly, revealing their complex behaviors and interactions with light, which challenges previous taboos in research.

We are exploring how to design all technological products as if they are part of the biosphere, envisioning a world where everything can be grown rather than built.