Newest Unicorn, Nothing, Plans AI-First Device Launch, Doubling Down On Being Different, Not Better

Nothing Tech, the unique smartphone startup based in London and founded by Carl Pei, announced earlier today that it has closed its series C funding round at an impressive $200 million. This takes the English tech startup to a whopping $1.3-billion valuation, and that, paired with the fact that the company is still privately owned, makes Nothing the world’s newest unicorn.

Not only has the company’s value soared in the wake of its most recent funding round, but it also announced plans to launch an AI-first device, underpinned by a bespoke operating system designed around artificial intelligence and deep personalisation.

These announcements serve as a momentous milestone for Nothing, a company that’s famously taken a different route to many other major players in big tech. That is, rather than attempting to compete directly with industry giants like Apple and Samsung by attempting to do more of the same – just better – it’s made a concerted effort to be different. Essentially, this strategy is based on the principle that companies that are smaller, less notable and have less funding than industry majors are unlikely to build better tech, so what they can do is focus on being different, and so far, for Nothing, standing out from the crowd has been a pretty effective strategy.

An AI-First Device: What’s the Hype About? 

 

Rather than simply layering AI onto existing software, the company envisions a system where functions like Essential Search – already offering users a smarter way to navigate information across their devices – become core to the experience. To drive this, Nothing has hired Sélim Benayat, a seasoned entrepreneur with expertise in personalised digital experiences, to lead its AI services.

But, the ambition goes beyond smartphones. Co-founder Carl Pei has argued that while handsets will remain the most practical way to deliver consumer AI for the next three to five years, the company’s roadmap points to a broader ecosystem of AI-driven products.

The challenge, as executives acknowledge, isn’t just technical – it’s about building trust and designing interactions where users don’t feel the need to second-guess the machine. With AI hardware startups like Humane and Rabbit facing mixed results, Nothing is attempting to strike a careful balance between novelty and usefulness as it prepares to debut its first AI-centric device next year.

 

 

Different > Better?

 

Of course, it goes without saying (and the impending AI-first device launch is a stark example of this) that Nothing’s unique business strategy doesn’t mean that they’re not aiming to improve and create new tech – of course they are. It’s more about the fact that their focus, in most other regards, is on differentiation from the norm. Whereas most other smartphones (from the big ones like Apple and Samsung to rising stars like Huaweii, Oppo and Xiaomi) stick to a pretty similar template in terms of both hardware and software aesthetics, Nothing strays away from the crowd.

It’s eye-catching in the most unexpected ways, giving off a futuristic, modernistic aesthetic with its clean lines and some exposed internal components. Nevermind its signature Glyph Interface – LED strips on the back of the phone that light up with notifications.

So, from its differentiated appearance to its bold decision to push forward from its smartphone roots to an AI future, there’s no doubt about the fact that Nothing is all about standing out, and it’s safe to say that while that’s not the only reason they’ve been so successful (especially recently), it’s definitely helped them establish themselves in an industry that is already overcrowded.

Perhaps there’s a lesson to be learned for startup looking to dive head-first into incredibly competitive industries and over-saturated markets. Competing is one thing, but maybe being different is just as important.