When it comes to getting rich, Kevin O\u2019Leary doesn\u2019t believe the formula has changed much, even in the age of artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n
The Shark Tank star and longtime investor says wealth still comes from spotting disruption early and backing the right people.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the analogy that best suits it is Gretzky\u2019s,\u201d O\u2019Leary told me during our Ticker Take interview on YouTube. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to skate to where the puck is going, not where it is now. The majority of gains come when you see the first light of disruption. You don\u2019t have to bet the farm, but you\u2019ve got to be early.\u201d<\/p>\n
He points to Nvidia as the perfect example. \u201cFour years ago, people thought it just made graphics cards. Unless you understood what was happening in AI, you missed that 20x return,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can still make money, but those incredible returns have come and gone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Betting on Great Managers<\/p>\n
For O\u2019Leary, the real differentiator isn\u2019t technology, it\u2019s management. \u201cWhen I\u2019m looking at a new technology, I call the founder. I want to hear their vision and understand their team,\u201d he said. \u201cGreat leaders can distinguish the signal from the noise. I\u2019m looking for that focus. When I find it, I invest \u2014 because I was there first.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s an approach shaped by his experience working with Steve Jobs in the 1990s. \u201cHe told me great managers separate the signal from the noise,\u201d O\u2019Leary said. \u201cThat\u2019s how I invest.\u201d<\/p>\n
The AI\u2013Power Connection<\/p>\n
O\u2019Leary believes the biggest fortunes ahead will be made where AI, digital payments, and blockchain converge.<\/p>\n
He envisions a world where consumers simply say, \u201cBig Mac with fries,\u201d and AI, geo-location, and blockchain instantly process the order and payment. \u201cIt\u2019s incredibly complex under the hood, and full of investment opportunities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
That future, he adds, will require enormous amounts of power and that\u2019s where Canada comes in.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no power left on the American grid,\u201d O\u2019Leary told me. \u201cWhere\u2019s the puck going? To Alberta. That\u2019s why I have 13,000 acres under contract near Grande Prairie. Canada has stranded natural gas, hydro, and sub-six-cent power: that\u2019s what AI data centres need.\u201d<\/p>\n
O\u2019Leary\u2019s Top Investing Ideas<\/p>\n
1. AI Infrastructure<\/p>\n
O\u2019Leary shared two familiar names: Nvidia and AMD. \u201cAI is being used in all sectors of the economy. That trend is not going away.\u201d<\/p>\n
2. Utilities<\/p>\n
He\u2019s watching power companies and Brookfield Infrastructure Partners as data-centre demand explodes. \u201cCanada is on the cusp of a renaissance,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
3. The Canadian Dollar<\/p>\n
O\u2019Leary believes investors will pour money into Canada to build AI infrastructure, and they\u2019ll need Canadian currency to do it. \u201cI\u2019ve moved out of Euros and U.S. dollars and into Canadian dollars,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can earn a yield and benefit as capital flows north.\u201d<\/p>\n
4. Crypto and Exchanges<\/p>\n
O\u2019Leary\u2019s crypto holdings are now focused on Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and USDC. \u201cYou don\u2019t need 27 tokens,\u201d he said. He also owns the exchanges: Coinbase, Robinhood, and Canada\u2019s WonderFi, which Robinhood is acquiring. \u201cIf you own the gold, you should own the picks and shovels.\u201d<\/p>\n
5. Index Funds<\/p>\n
Despite his high-conviction bets, O\u2019Leary says most investors should stick to indexes. \u201cBuy the S&P 500 or Canada\u2019s XIU and try to beat it \u2014 you won\u2019t,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s almost impossible. The index should be your core holding.\u201d<\/p>\n
6. Canadian Banks<\/p>\n
Finally, he holds Canadian bank ETFs \u2014 like XFN \u2014 as a cornerstone of his portfolio. \u201cAmanda Lang once told me, \u2018You can\u2019t pick one bank over another, just buy the index.\u2019 She was right.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Takeaway<\/p>\n
For O\u2019Leary, getting rich starts with discipline and a clear sense of where the world is headed. \u201cYou can\u2019t time the market,\u201d he said. \u201cBut you can position yourself for the next wave. That\u2019s where the puck \u2014 and the profit \u2014 will be.\u201d<\/p>\n