Additional Coverage:
- Kevin O’Leary pushes back on Tucker Carlson’s data center concerns: ‘Welcome to America, buddy!’ (businessinsider.com)
Investor Kevin O’Leary and commentator Tucker Carlson engaged in a spirited debate over artificial intelligence, taxpayer subsidies, and China’s tech ambitions in a recent interview published Wednesday.
O’Leary, known for his role on “Shark Tank,” defended his plan to develop a massive data center in Utah as a crucial investment in America’s AI future. The project, dubbed Stratos, spans 40,000 acres and has drawn criticism for its anticipated strain on local water and power resources, as well as concerns over limited long-term employment opportunities. Despite opposition, county commissioners approved the project unanimously.
Carlson challenged O’Leary on why taxpayers should subsidize a private venture that may primarily serve tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google. “Why should taxpayers help pay for it without getting equity in the company?”
Carlson pressed. O’Leary responded that such tax incentives are standard practice in competitive infrastructure projects, noting that states which don’t offer subsidies risk losing contracts to others.
The data center is projected to consume up to 9 gigawatts of electricity, more than twice Utah’s current usage, fueling worries about sustainability. O’Leary dismissed critics as “professional protesters” and emphasized the potential for job creation and economic growth in the region, likening the incentives to those given for other major manufacturing projects.
The two also clashed over AI’s impact on employment. O’Leary argued that technological advances traditionally create new industries and jobs that are hard to foresee, while Carlson pointed out that current AI applications often replace human labor.
Central to O’Leary’s argument is the geopolitical dimension of AI development, highlighting the competition with China. “Would you prefer we stop building data centers while the Chinese accelerate theirs?” he asked, stressing that the U.S. and its allies must expand power generation and data infrastructure to avoid falling behind Beijing both technologically and militarily.
Carlson remained skeptical about funneling taxpayer money to billion-dollar AI projects benefiting wealthy corporations. O’Leary’s blunt reply: “Welcome to America, buddy.
This is how it’s gone on for 200 years.” Notably, O’Leary is a Canadian citizen.
The exchange underscores ongoing tensions over the role of government incentives in emerging technology sectors and the balancing act between economic development, resource management, and global competition.