Investor Kevin O’Leary stated on July 26, 2026, that growing competition with China in artificial intelligence (AI), energy, and critical infrastructure is likely to push the United States, Canada, and Mexico toward deeper economic cooperation, despite existing political differences. O’Leary argued that the accelerating race for technological dominance and resource security makes regional integration an economic necessity rather than just a policy preference.

In a post on X, O’Leary wrote, "I believe fear of China, not politics, will ultimately bring North America back together." He emphasized that economic reality would outweigh political disagreements because the three nations are stronger when they collaborate. He highlighted the distinct comparative advantages of each country: Canada provides essential energy resources and critical minerals, the United States contributes technological innovation and economic scale, and Mexico remains a key component of North America’s manufacturing and economic network.

Market Dynamics and AI Competition

The call for unity comes amid intensifying competition in the AI sector. Data from OpenRouter indicates that Chinese AI models surpassed U.S. rivals in token usage for the first time, capturing 58% of usage among U.S. firms. This shift was driven by the growing adoption of models such as DeepSeek, underscoring China’s rising presence in the global AI market.

Industry Perspectives on Regulation

Industry leaders have offered differing views on how to address this competition. Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia Corp., and Anthony Pompliano, CEO of Professional Capital Management, both advocated for competition through innovation rather than government restrictions. Huang praised Chinese AI models as "excellent," arguing that open-source technology could expand AI adoption while boosting demand for Nvidia’s chips and computing infrastructure. He rejected concerns about security risks, stating there is "zero possibility" China would run U.S. companies off the road, noting that models could be customized and isolated.

Pompliano similarly opposed potential bans on Chinese AI models, urging U.S. companies to build superior technology instead of relying on intervention. "Stop complaining and start competing. People won’t use Chinese models if American companies build something better," he said.

What the Numbers Show

The data reveals a significant divergence between political rhetoric and market behavior. While political leaders may emphasize restrictions, the 58% token share held by Chinese models among U.S. firms suggests that cost-efficiency or performance advantages are driving adoption. This trend highlights the challenge of decoupling supply chains in the AI sector, where access to advanced models and underlying compute infrastructure remains a critical competitive factor for North American firms.

Chief financial officers in North America are increasingly optimistic about their own companies' financial prospects even as their overall confidence in economic conditions declines for the second consecutive quarter. According to the Deloitte CFO Signals™ report for Q2 2026, released on June 24, 90% of CFOs expressed optimism about their business's future financial performance, a jump of 17 percentage points from the previous quarter. This rise in company-specific optimism contrasts with a drop in the broader CFO confidence score, which fell to 5.9 from 6.3 in Q1, indicating medium confidence.

The quarterly survey, which measures sentiment and forward-looking strategies among North America's leading CFOs, found that 59% of respondents believe now is a good time to take greater risks, reversing a dip observed in the prior quarter. However, sentiment regarding the broader North American economy has soured, with 33% of CFOs describing current economic conditions as bad or very bad. Furthermore, less than half of the respondents expect the economy to improve over the next year.

Key Risks and Priorities

The report identifies talent acquisition and skills gaps as the most pressing internal risks, cited by 51% of CFOs. This was followed closely by technology deployment (49%) and efficiency and productivity (48%). On the external front, inflation remains the dominant concern, mentioned by 50% of respondents, while supply chain disruption (49%) and interest rates (46%) rounded out the top three risks.

CFO Sentiment Indicators

The CFO Confidence Score, introduced in Q2 2025, ranges from 1 to 10, with scores between 8 and 10 indicating very high confidence. The latest reading of 5.9 reflects the growing divergence between CFOs' views on the macroeconomic environment and their internal corporate strategies.