Nanoleaf Focuses on AI and Well-Being to Stand Out

Nanoleaf Reinvents Itself with AI and Well-Being

The company Nanoleaf, known for its smart lighting solutions, has recently adopted a more subdued approach, contrasting with competitors like Govee and Philips Hue, who are rapidly rolling out innovations. This period of relative calm can be attributed to a strategic transformation of the brand, which is now focusing on well-being, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Gimmy Chu, CEO and co-founder of Nanoleaf, stated that the smart home market was becoming monotonous and that the company needed to evolve to incorporate new products. This evolution aims to redefine Nanoleaf's identity by integrating cutting-edge technologies. "The smart home is getting a bit boring. Our brand needs to evolve to incorporate some of the other products we are going to launch," he asserted.

An Innovative Lighting Ecosystem

Nanoleaf has made a name for itself with its modular and interactive RGB lighting products, which allow users to synchronize lights with content displayed on screens. The company was a pioneer in adopting Thread and Matter standards, and its smart bulb was one of the first to be compatible with Apple's HomePod Mini back in 2020.

However, according to Chu, the adoption of open standards like Matter has led to a commoditization of smart lighting. Companies like Ikea are now offering smart bulbs at very competitive prices, prompting Nanoleaf to stand out through innovation. "This is something I predicted when Matter launched nearly four years ago," he added.

Embodied AI as a Lever for Innovation

For Chu, generative AI represents the next big wave of technological innovation. Nanoleaf is focusing on embodied AI, which integrates intelligence into devices capable of interacting with the physical world. The goal is to create useful products, beyond mere integrations of ChatGPT into devices. "It's about integrating intelligence into hardware that actually does something useful," he explained.

Chu revealed that Nanoleaf plans to launch at least three products this year centered around embodied AI. Among these innovations are a toy, a desk companion, and a robotic microcontroller, although details remain vague. Images shared by the company hint at these new directions.

Towards Increased Personalization with AI

A company blog post discusses the use of AI to simplify daily life and stimulate creativity, though it does not provide concrete details. Chu mentioned that one of the products in development pertains to early childhood, and that robotics will play a central role in Nanoleaf's future, although this will take time.

Expansion into the Well-Being Sector

Nanoleaf has also invested in well-being with the launch of a red light therapy mask in 2025, which has become a bestseller. The company has since expanded its range with a panel and a red light therapy wand, and plans to launch four new devices this year, including heating and massage functions. "These new products will include heating and massage/vibration settings," Chu specified.

Red light therapy, while still straddling the line between science and hype, is offered by Nanoleaf at competitive prices thanks to its expertise in LED lighting and logistics. Chu claims they have been able to leverage their expertise to make these products more affordable than most current options in the United States.

Maintaining Smart Lighting as a Pillar

Despite this diversification, Nanoleaf continues to focus on smart lighting, which still accounts for 80 to 90% of its business. The company plans to unveil new products and updates at the IFA trade show in Berlin this fall, including support for Matter 1.4 and a Matter 1.5 compatible product. "We will soon roll out support for Matter 1.4, and we have another product that is Matter 1.5, which we will launch this year," says Chu.

Chu emphasized that past efforts to establish connectivity standards like Thread and Matter have been crucial, and that the company is now ready to tackle new challenges in R&D. "It was all blood, sweat, and tears to get Thread and Matter sorted out," he confided.

Openness and Personalization through AI

Nanoleaf envisions making its products more accessible to AI through open APIs. Chu wants to open the code of its products to allow for greater customization, highlighting the importance of openness in the Internet of Things. "This is really the power of the Internet of Things," he says.

For tech enthusiasts, this openness offers innovative possibilities for customization and control. However, current Nanoleaf customers are primarily looking for continuous improvements to the existing ecosystem and new features for the app.

A Rapidly Changing Market

The smart home market is evolving quickly with AI and the Matter standard, which aims to make devices interchangeable. For companies like Nanoleaf, differentiation is more crucial than ever. While the company's future involves AI companions and well-being gadgets, Nanoleaf continues to think big and explore new avenues.