Musician calls for ‘new morals, new laws and new codes’ to augment Moses’ 10 commandments: ‘He didn’t say shit about 3D printing...’

3D-printed organs are a realistic prospect in the next decade, but 3D-printed human beings? Will.i.am claims they will be the next step and thinks that humanity will need new ethical codes to cope with the implications.

“Eventually 3D printing will print people. I’m not saying I agree with it, I’m just saying what’s fact based on plausible growth in technology,” the musician told Dezeen magazine.

“Unfortunately that is the reality, but at the same time it pushes humanity to have to adhere to new responsibilities. So new morals, new laws and new codes are going to have to be implemented.”

The star became chief creative officer of 3D printing company 3D Systems in 2014, and has been working with it and sponsor Coca-Cola on a range of “Ekocycle” 3D-printed products, including clothing and bicycles.

“If you can print a liver or a kidney, god dang it, you’re going to be able to print a whole freaking person,” said Will.i.am.

Will.i.am: ‘3D printing will revolutionise society. In 20 years, you’ll be able to print a new kidney’ Read more

“Now we’re getting into a whole new territory. Moses comes down with the 10 commandments and says ‘Thou shalt not’. He didn’t say shit about 3D printing.”

In an interview with the Guardian, he put a more positive spin on the prospect of future advances in 3D printing and biology.

“In 20 years, you’ll be able to print a new kidney. You’ll have a machine that prints your genome with proteins that are right for your body. 3D printers will change how we make things, how we fix and heal things. To eat beef and wear leather, you need a lot of land and water for cows. In the next 20 years, we’ll be able to print beef and leather instead. Real talk.”

3D printing is one of several ventures into technology for the former Black Eyed Peas star and judge on BBC1’s The Voice.

He has released hardware – iPhone camera cases in 2013 and the Puls smartwatch – a “cuff” as he describes it – which is set to go on sale later this year.

Before 3D Systems, Will.i.am was director of creative innovation for Intel and was an early investor in Beats Electronics.