Kevin O’Leary, also known as “Mr Wonderful,” says artificial intelligence is helping businesses like his fight inflation and survive margin pressure brought on by new tariffs.
What Happened: In a video posted Tuesday on X, formerly Twitter, the “Shark Tank” investor broke down how companies are coping with rising costs, citing General Motors (NYSE:GM) as an example of how businesses may navigate a 45% margin hit.
“This may be the roadmap for every business,” O’Leary said on Fox Business.
One-third of the margin hit, they’re going to eat themselves, so they’re going to have to find ways to be more productive, he said. One-third, they’re going to push out on price increases, which “I agree is inflationary.”
But the last third? That’s where AI comes in.
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He emphasized that every one of the 54 small businesses in his private portfolio is now leveraging vertical applications of AI to reduce operational costs — whether in insurance, wireless charging, or other sectors.
“We’ve never had tariffs before with an AI multiplier in it,” he said. “This forces us to figure out a way to be more productive.”
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Why It’s Important: O’Leary’s comments come as many companies grapple with rising tariffs and inflationary pressure, especially in sectors heavily exposed to global supply chains.
His view reflects a growing consensus that artificial intelligence is not just a tech trend but a crucial tool for business survival and long-term productivity gains.
Last week, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) CEO Sundar Pichai reportedly urged employees to increase their use of AI to boost productivity, highlighting that the company must “accomplish more” without expanding headcount.
