tech
May 16, 2026
Kevin O'Leary pushes back on Tucker Carlson's data center concerns: 'Welcome to America, buddy!'
Kevin O'Leary defended his AI data center in Utah, despite Tucker Carlson's concerns about taxpayer subsidies, during a debate on America's AI future.
TL;DR
- Kevin O'Leary and Tucker Carlson debated the future of AI and a planned data center project in Utah.
- Carlson questioned why taxpayers should subsidize private companies, especially wealthy tech giants, for the data center.
- O'Leary argued that state subsidies and incentives are standard practice and necessary for states to compete and secure such projects.
- Concerns were raised about the data center's potential strain on Utah's resources (water, power) and job creation, with O'Leary dismissing critics and predicting economic growth.
- The discussion extended to whether AI will create or destroy jobs, with differing views presented.
- O'Leary highlighted the US-China AI race, asserting the need to expand data center capacity to avoid falling behind technologically and militarily.
- Carlson remained skeptical of taxpayer-funded incentives for large AI projects, viewing it as wealth transfer from taxpayers to corporations.