Allbirds rebrands to Smartbird, names Nadia Carlsten new CEO, and focuses on AI infrastructure.

Allbirds, originally a shoemaker, has rebranded to Smartbird and appointed Nadia Carlsten as its new CEO, replacing Joe Vernachio. The company shifted its business focus from footwear to AI compute infrastructure, following a previous rebrand to NewBird AI and the sale of its shoe assets for $39 million. This pivot reflects a broader trend of companies moving into AI to capitalize on the technology boom sparked by ChatGPT. Smartbird's shares surged 34% following the announcement, signaling strong investor interest in its new direction.