Abstract <p>Muconic acid is a high-value intermediate with unique properties. Traditional methods for muconic acid production showed some disadvantages including expensive raw materials, environmentally sensitive, and high concentration of heavy metal catalysts. With the development of synthetic biology, bio-strategies for muconic acid production have been widely studied. In this paper, key advances in muconic acid production using synthetic biology are highlighted. Furthermore, strategies for improving muconic acid production have been discussed, including cofactor engineering, modular co-culture, and artificial intelligence-assisted enzyme optimization. Given the significant advantages of biosynthesis in clean production and cost control, the paper concludes with an analysis of the economic and technical feasibility of microbial muconic acid production.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>