KEY POINTS
- Allbirds rebrands as NewBird AI, targeting AI infrastructure services.
- Data center construction growth could create project opportunities for NewBird AI and contractors, alike.
- Once valued at $4B, company sells shoe brand for $39M as data center spending continues to break records.
Talk about a move that’s “Bold by Nature.”
That’s the name of a new sneaker campaign Allbirds announced on April 7. Now, just a week later, the brand says it’s getting out of the shoe game and becoming an AI services company.
In a post on its website today, the pivoted company—now christened as NewBird AI—says its new focus will be “AI compute infrastructure.” In simpler terms, that means the hardware and physical components that allow AI services to function.
How will Allbirds’ transition to NewBird AI impact construction?
NewBird AI says its goal is to become a “GPU-as-a-Service" and AI-native cloud provider, helping to fill other companies’ needs as the demand for AI support grows. If the transition goes according to plan, it’s possible we could see their name attached to future construction projects.
The timing is right, if you look at ConstructConnect News’ April 2026 Data Center Report. In it, Chief Economist Michael Guckes says year-to-date data center construction starts have reached nearly $37 billion. This time last year, that figure was only $1.4 billion. With ConstructConnect tracking almost $71 billion in data center projects slated to start within the next six months, there could be a lot of opportunities for a company like NewBird AI.
The extraordinary growth of AI data center projects will be a key topic of the May 14 Construction Economy Outlook event, where the U.S. construction industry’s leading economists will provide exclusive insights and intelligence in plain English. The panel will consist of Guckes, AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson, and new Chief Economist for the AIA, Richard Branch. Registration for the Construction Economy Outlook is completely free and open to everyone.
Why would a shoe company get involved with AI infrastructure?
While many companies are offering AI-based services to consumers, other firms, like NewBird AI, are getting on the infrastructure wagon. On April 3, ConstructConnect News reported corporate powerhouses Chevron, Microsoft and Engine No. 1 entered an exclusivity agreement to collaborate on power-generating solutions for AI and high-demand computing facilities.
Is NewBird AI now separate from Allbirds shoes?
While Allbirds shoes will still be sold, including the sneakers in the “Bold by Nature” campaign, the brand itself is now owned by American Exchange Group, a conglomerate that owns and licenses fashion marques. A March 30 release announcing that move estimated the deal at $39 million dollars. The bad news? The Allbirds brand was once valued at $4 billion just five years ago. Such a drop in value could signify why the original Allbirds decided a major change was needed to stay afloat.
At its peak, the company achieved viral fame on social media, becoming a trendy brand with 45 Allbirds retail stores in the U.S. By February 2026, all of the locations, save for two outlet stores, have since closed.
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