Kiwi-founded Allbirds gives wooly shoes the boot for AI – and its shares went bonkers

Allbirds, the sustainability-focused footwear startup that built a billion-dollar brand on merino wool and environmental consciousness, is making an unexpected bet that artificial intelligence—not natural materials—holds the key to its future growth, a strategic pivot that sent its stock soaring this week. The New Zealand company's embrace of AI-driven design and manufacturing represents a striking departure from the eco-friendly messaging that defined its rise, raising questions about whether the shift signals genuine innovation or a desperate scramble for relevance in a brutally competitive sneaker market. Investors appear to have voted decisively on the company's new direction, but the move could test whether Allbirds' core customers—those who chose the brand precisely

Startup Daily·Apr 16