1. Nauticus Robotics Inc. (NASDAQ:KITT)
Price per Share: $0.8641
Market Cap: $11.847M
Topping our list of the top 10 cheap AI small-cap stocks to buy now is Nauticus Robotics, Inc. (NASDAQ:KITT). The company is rapidly repositioning itself as a high-growth autonomous robotics stock as it transitions from proof-of-concept deployments to scaled commercialization across offshore energy and defense markets. As global demand rises for AI-driven subsea robotics, autonomous underwater vehicles, and remote offshore inspection solutions, Nauticus is aligning leadership, manufacturing capacity, and go-to-market execution around a unified strategy centered on its Aquanaut® vehicle and Nauticus ToolKITT™ autonomy software platform.
The company’s latest strategic announcements signal a decisive acceleration phase. The appointment of Dr. Kjerstin “Kj” Easton as Vice President of Software materially strengthens Nauticus’ artificial intelligence and autonomy capabilities. With a Ph.D. in Robotics from Caltech and leadership experience spanning X, The Moonshot Factory, Google, Apple Maps Special Projects, and advanced marine AI initiatives, Dr. Easton brings deep expertise in perception systems, sensor fusion, and autonomous navigation. Her mandate to scale Nauticus ToolKITT™ enhances the company’s ability to deploy interoperable, mission-ready autonomy software across subsea robotics fleets, reinforcing its competitive positioning in a market increasingly defined by networked, multi-robot ecosystems.
Further strengthening the software backbone, Chuck Claunch has been named Chief Software Architect & Principal Software Engineer, bringing advanced experience in robotics architectures and distributed autonomy systems. As energy operators and defense agencies shift toward integrated robotic mosaics capable of executing complex offshore missions, Nauticus’ focus on scalable autonomy software deployment becomes a structural advantage rather than a feature add-on. This emphasis on software-led differentiation supports margin expansion potential over time, as recurring software-driven revenue complements hardware and offshore services.
Commercial execution is also being sharpened. Jason Close’s transition to Vice President of Growth & Go-To-Market formalizes a product-driven revenue strategy across Aquanaut, subsea manipulators, and Nauticus ToolKITT™. His role in expanding enterprise adoption, strengthening strategic partnerships, and refining brand positioning reflects management’s recognition that technology leadership must be matched by disciplined sales execution. Meanwhile, offshore service revenue continues under active deployments, providing near-term cash flow support as product sales scale.
Crucially, the recently disclosed commitment from Master Investment Group to support the buildout of additional Aquanaut vehicles reinforces Nauticus’ manufacturing expansion plans. Increased vehicle production capacity enhances the company’s ability to meet growing demand for autonomous subsea robotics in offshore energy inspection, maintenance, and defense applications. In a capital-intensive industry where scaling hardware production can bottleneck growth, this backing meaningfully reduces execution risk and signals external confidence in Nauticus’ commercialization roadmap.
The broader bull thesis for KITT stock rests on the convergence of artificial intelligence, robotics automation, and offshore infrastructure modernization. As oil and gas operators, renewable energy developers, and defense agencies seek cost-efficient, autonomous offshore solutions, Nauticus’ integrated hardware-software ecosystem offers differentiated value. With strengthened leadership, expanded manufacturing capability, and a clearly articulated accelerated growth strategy, Nauticus Robotics is positioning itself not merely as a niche subsea vehicle manufacturer, but as a scalable AI-driven offshore robotics platform with asymmetric upside in a rapidly evolving automation economy.
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Disclosure: No material interests to disclose. This article was originally published on Global Market Bulletin.
