By assembling nanostructures into architected materials such as metamaterials, we unlock new ways to manipulate light and explore fundamental light–matter interactions. Drawing inspiration from nature and harnessing artificial intelligence, we design these materials for diverse applications, including optical tweezing, sensing, energy harvesting, thermal management, computing, and communication. Our sustainable light-driven fabrication and advanced measurement techniques enable on-demand production and precise characterization from single nanostructures to large-scale ensembles.