The addition of gold nanorods to a commercial polyurethane enabled shape memory behavior activation via infrared irradiation. The fraction of the set strain recovered was found to be dependent on the nanorod loading and irradiation intensity. A nanocomposite consisting of gold nanorods with an aspect ratio of ∼3.25 and a diameter of ∼11.5 nm and the polyurethane IROGRAN PS455-203 was prepared via a simple solution blending technique. Gold loadings up to 3.2 ppm by weight were evaluated. The glass transition temperature and melting point of the hard-segment phase was slightly depressed at the highest loading evaluated. Other thermal properties were not affected by the addition of gold nanorods. Also, the thermally activated shape memory behavior of the composite material was not affected by the presence of the gold nanorods.