Read the full review here: Chem. Soc. Rev. 2017. Advance Article DOI: 10.1039/C6CS00738D (part of the special issue on 'out-of-equilibrium molecular systems' Bioinspired out-of-equilibrium systems will set the scene for the next generation of molecular materials with active, adaptive, autonomous, emergent and intelligent behavior. Indeed life provides the best demonstrations of complex and functional out-of-equilibrium systems: cells keep track of time, communicate, move, ada