Nanoleaf bets its future on robots, red light therapy, and AI

The Verge / 5/8/2026

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Key Points

  • Nanoleaf says it has been quieter on new smart-lighting launches as it pursues a broader “brand evolution” centered on wellness, robotics, and AI.
  • The company’s CEO argues the smart home category has grown “boring,” and that Nanoleaf needs to move beyond smart lighting to stay relevant.
  • Nanoleaf teased three new products focused on “embodied AI,” signaling an ambition to create more physical, robot-like AI experiences.
  • Its roadmap suggests it will diversify into areas beyond lighting, including robotics and red light therapy, alongside AI-led features.
  • The shift positions Nanoleaf to compete not only with lighting rivals like Govee and Philips Hue, but also with next-gen consumer tech experiences built around embodied AI.
Nanoleaf teased a trio of new products focused on embodied AI as it looks to move its brand beyond smart lighting. | Image: Nanoleaf

Smart lighting company Nanoleaf has been unusually quiet recently. While competitors such as Govee and Philips Hue have been pumping out new products and innovative features at an impressive pace, Nanoleaf has launched just a handful of smart lighting products in the last two years. There's a reason for this lull - the company has been going through a "brand evolution" focused on wellness, robotics, and, of course, AI.

"The smart home is getting kind of boring," says the ever-candid Gimmy Chu, CEO and cofounder of Nanoleaf, which he now doesn't want me to call a smart lighting company. "Our brand needs to evolve to incorporate some of the …

Read the full story at The Verge.