ABSTRACT Nucleic acids are generally recognized as the carriers of genetic information, but they are undergoing a profound conceptual transformation toward programmable information materials. Here, we introduce and delineate the emerging field of nucleic acid information materials (NAIMs), defined as engineered systems that repurpose DNA and RNA, the quintessential molecules of life, from their biological genetic roles into programmable materials for information technology and biotechnology. This paradigm shift leverages their inherent molecular recognition, predictable self‐assembly, and vast information‐encoding capacity. We propose the development of molecular building blocks, the materials fabrication, the function design, and the system integration, as the evolution of NAIMs. We discuss how nucleic acids are used to create static nanostructures and then to construct dynamic intelligent systems, such as molecular robots, computational circuits, and next‐generation data storage media. We also explore the application of NAIMs in two distinct areas: (1) Biotechnology (BT), where they enable precision diagnostics, targeted drug delivery, and logic‐based computational diagnosis and (2) Information technology (IT), where they enable energy‐efficient molecular computation and ultra‐dense long‐term data storage; the combination of BT and IT serves as the cornerstone of the emerging field of bio‐semiconductors. Finally, we outline the main challenges for NAIMs regarding synthesis scalability, system integration, and in vivo stability, and offer a perspective on the future BT–IT convergence that NAIMs are rewiring.
Yin et al. (2026) studied this question.