Kevin O'Leary sees Utahns protest, says there is lots of 'misinformation'
Kevin O'Leary addressed ongoing protests against a proposed AI data center in Box Elder County, Utah, during an NBC interview. He claimed widespread "misinformation" is fueling the opposition and stated he is collaborating with the federal government to investigate foreign funding behind these efforts. Protesters have raised concerns about the data center's impact on water resources and power consumption.
Kevin O'Leary discussed the proposed AI data center in Box Elder County, Utah, during an interview with NBC, responding to clips of Utahns protesting the project at the state capital. He acknowledged the public's opinions but stated there is a lot of "misinformation" surrounding the development.
O'Leary highlighted that an initial protest on May 4th drew 2,500 people, while a more recent one had 200 attendees. He asserted that 66,000 residents in Box Elder County stand to benefit from the project and expressed his desire for them to receive accurate information. He also mentioned that he is investing significant funds and collaborating with the federal government to uncover the sources of this alleged misinformation, claiming that "nefarious foreigners" are funding organizations in Utah, such as the Alliance for a Better Utah.
He cited IRS filings that he claims show the Alliance for a Better Utah received money from Arabella, which he further asserted is funded by Chinese entities. O'Leary indicated that the government is already investigating such funding patterns nationwide, not just in Utah, for various power-related infrastructure projects. He directly refuted specific claims made by protesters, including that the data center would drain the Great Salt Lake, occupy 40,000 acres, or exclusively use Utah's power, dismissing these as false and financially supported by foreign sources.