I have an Allbirds collection that I love, and its AI pivot feels worse than poorly-fitting shoes

• Allbirds is pivoting to AI
• The new company is called NewBird AI
• It'll sell AI GPU space, but why did Allbirds choose this path, and what does it really mean?

I discovered Allbirds on TikTok. The social media platform might be a source of entertainment and information for some, but it's increasingly where I find tantalizing brands for products I end up loving. Shoe and apparel maker Allbirds was one of them. Now it's NewBird AI, an AI infrastructure company, in a pivot that makes about as much sense as wrapping slices of bologna around your feet and calling them sandals.

As a loyal customer who once took his wife to the sole New York City Allbirds store and convinced her to buy a pair of $100 slip-ons, I watched with dismay as the once high-flying viral shoe company narrowly avoided bankruptcy.

Up ...