Kevin O'Leary called out 2 Utah women who oppose his data center. They clapped back with a mocking video. (www.businessinsider.com)

Kevin O'Leary, the prominent investor and entrepreneur, recently ignited controversy by labeling two Utah political strategists, Gabi Finlayson and Jackie Morgan, as proxies for the Chinese government opposing his multibillion-dollar Stratos Project data center in Box Elder County. This accusation came during a Fox Business segment where O'Leary argued that detractors of the project, which aims to bolster AI infrastructure, were working against American interests. In response, Finlayson and Morgan released a satirical video, mocking O'Leary's attire and asserting that he—a Canadian—was the real outsider jeopardizing their community's welfare. The escalating exchange underscores the growing tensions surrounding AI data centers, which are becoming increasingly contentious due to concerns over their environmental and social impacts. Local residents have raised alarms about potential negative effects on water resources, utility costs, and overall quality of life. Despite assurances from O'Leary and his team regarding innovations in data center technology that minimize resource usage, the backlash reflects wider apprehensions about AI infrastructure across the U.S., as a recent Gallup poll noted that 71% of Americans oppose having data centers in their neighborhoods.