Kevin O’Leary is used to taking big risks and openly defending his decisions.
However, one of the Shark Tank star’s most ambitious projects—a massive data center for artificial intelligence in Utah—has faced opposition that has turned a promising investment story into a serious public conflict.
The Stratos project is intended to be part of a new AI infrastructure. When fully developed, its capacity could reach nine gigawatts—a colossal figure even by American standards. O’Leary argues that the U.S. needs facilities like this to compete in the field of artificial intelligence, but local residents are far more concerned about the potential impacts on the power grid, water supply, the environment, and taxpayers.
The conflict turned out to be more serious than expected
The situation escalated after O’Leary publicly suggested that outside interests, including possible Chinese influence, might be behind some of the opposition to the project. No evidence was presented linking specific opponents of the project to China, and some of his statements subsequently became the subject of legal proceedings.
Several opponents of Stratos filed a defamation lawsuit against O’Leary and Fox News, claiming that the statements made damaged their reputations. O’Leary is seeking to have the case dismissed, and his attorneys insist that the controversial remarks must be viewed in the context of a heated public debate. No final decision on the merits of the claims has been reached yet.
There’s a much bigger bet behind this for O’Leary
The businessman’s main idea isn’t simply to build a single data center. O’Leary believes that artificial intelligence will create enormous demand for electricity and computing power, so it’s necessary to invest not only in technology companies but also in the infrastructure without which they cannot operate.
That is precisely why he is increasingly interested in the energy sector, gas infrastructure, uranium, and the potential development of small modular nuclear reactors. O’Leary is essentially betting that one of the main constraints on the AI revolution will not be a lack of new AI models, but a shortage of cheap and stable energy.
At the same time, he has resumed investing in digital assets. In September, O’Leary announced that he is once again buying cryptocurrencies and preparing for the next phase of the market’s development, with a particular focus on the potential adoption of blockchain by major financial institutions.
O’Leary Hasn’t Given Up on His Strategy Yet
Despite the opposition surrounding Stratos, there are no signs that O’Leary intends to back down from his big bet on AI infrastructure. The problem lies elsewhere: the situation in Utah has shown that even massive capital and a high-profile name do not guarantee a smooth project implementation.
The investment idea, which looked fairly simple on paper—artificial intelligence will require more data centers and more energy—has run into political opposition, resistance from local residents, and legal disputes.
For O’Leary, this is becoming a major test. At 72, he continues to make big bets on AI, energy, and digital assets, but now one of his most high-profile projects is revealing the downside of his aggressive investment philosophy.
O’Leary himself remains convinced that the world will need a massive amount of new energy infrastructure to advance artificial intelligence. Therefore, the key question now is no longer whether he is willing to take risks, but whether he will be able to carry out his plans when resistance arises far beyond the financial markets.
