Roadmap to Intelligent Metasurfaces: Tuning Mechanisms, Multiplexing Principles, and Systematic Integration

Metasurfaces are a two-dimensional form of metamaterials, enabling unprecedented control of electromagnetic wavefronts through artificial subwavelength structures. Recent developments have transformed metasurfaces from single-function static devices to multifunctional, integrated, and tunable systems, and further to intelligent metasurfaces adaptive to environmental changes. These advancements have expanded opportunities in adaptive optics and wireless communications. This Review introduces a ternary classification based on design level, categorizing metasurfaces into “field-responsive regulation”, “physical dimension multiplexing”, and “system-level integrated design”. These categories are interrelated and collectively establish a coherent technical pathway from meta-atom response to system-level functionality. We systematically examine the tuning mechanisms, performance characteristics, and application potential, tracing their historical development and summarizing functional implementations across frequency bands. Finally, future trends are discussed in light of advances in light-matter interactions, nanofabrication, functional materials, and the integration of high-performance computing with artificial intelligence.