ALLBIRDS PIVOTS TO AI, REBRANDS AS SMARTBIRD

Allbirds completed its transformation into Smartbird on Wednesday, marking a dramatic departure from its footwear business. The company named Carlsten, who previously held leadership roles at AWS, to steer the new direction. The rebrand reflects a strategic pivot toward artificial intelligence infrastructure rather than sustainable shoe manufacturing. Carlsten's appointment signals the company's intent to compete in the rapidly expanding AI market, where demand for infrastructure solutions continues to accelerate. Investor reaction was immediate and positive. BIRD stock jumped more than 20% following the announcement, suggesting market confidence in the strategic shift and leadership change. The move capitalizes on investor appetite for AI-focused companies and Carlsten's credibility in cloud infrastructure, having worked at one of the sector's leading players. The transition represents a significant gamble, abandoning Allbirds' established brand identity in footwear for an unproven position in the competitive AI infrastructure space.