Kevin O’Leary said he is willing to scale back the Stratos AI data centre project in Utah after criticism from state lawmakers.
The Shark Tank investor made the remarks at the Washington AI Network’s AI Honours gala. Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams sent O’Leary a demand letter on June 1.
Adams asked O’Leary to cut the proposed Box Elder County project by 75%, from 40,000 acres to 10,000 acres. He also sought more transparency and stronger conservation pledges.
The request included protections for Utah’s natural resources and the Great Salt Lake, despite assurances from the project that no water would flow into the lake. “I have no choice,”
O’Leary said. O’Leary told NBC News that Adams had to address political concerns around the project. He said he would also respond to those concerns.
O’Leary said he plans to send a formal response and revised proposal on June 5. The Stratos project has drawn attention because backers describe it as the world’s largest AI data centre under development.
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Critics have raised concerns over the energy and water needs of large data centres. O’Leary rejected those claims and said opponents had spread false information. Alliance for a Better Utah denied O’Leary’s claim that foreign-linked interests had driven opposition to the project.
O’Leary told The Salt Lake Tribune that Adams was asking for a “test kitchen” approach. He said he could support the idea if it solved the dispute.
