8 Types of Businesses Kevin O’Leary Predicts Are Headed for Extinction Within 10 Years

Markets shift faster than most people expect, and few investors are as blunt about it as Kevin O'Leary. In interviews and on social media, he has repeatedly warned that entire categories of businesses may not survive the next 10 years if they fail to adapt.

For workers, investors, and small business owners, that matters. Understanding where the risks are now could help you avoid getting caught in a declining industry, and help you keep more cash in your wallet over the long run. Here are the eight categories O'Leary believes are most at risk.

Traditional office space and commercial real estate

O'Leary has been especially bearish on office buildings, arguing that the shift to hybrid work is not temporary. He has said that many properties cannot be used again as office space because the economy has changed, pointing to vacancy rates as high as 40% in some cities.

The core issue is demand. Fewer workers commuting daily means less need for centralized office space. Without a major reversal, landlords may struggle to fill buildings, refinance debt, or justify valuations.

Businesses that ignore artificial intelligence

O'Leary's view on AI is unambiguous. He has said plainly that AI is not optional anymore, adding that companies not using it are already behind. He sees AI as a baseline, not a trend.

From automating workflows to improving customer targeting, AI is becoming a cost and efficiency advantage. Businesses that resist it could find themselves outpaced on both margins and innovation, a combination that rarely ends well over a decade.

Brick-and-mortar restaurants in urban centers

Restaurants have always been a tough business. O'Leary believes the environment has fundamentally shifted, noting that customers have not returned to pre-pandemic patterns, especially in downtown areas where office traffic is low.

Rising food and labor costs, what he called an inflation virus, are squeezing margins. Restaurants that lean heavily on lunch crowds or high foot traffic may face ongoing challenges unless they adapt the model.

Companies forcing full-time office work

O'Leary has been blunt here. Cubicles are dead, in his framing. He argues that forcing employees back into rigid office environments could backfire, especially for high-skill roles.

Top talent embraces flexibility, and companies insisting on full-time office work might limit their hiring pool and end up with less competitive teams. Over time, that talent gap could weaken performance and growth.

Movie and production businesses reliant on traditional extras

Even entertainment is not immune. O'Leary has pointed to film production costs, noting that scenes with large numbers of extras can cost millions and suggesting AI could replace much of that need.

He pointed to the movie Marty Supreme as an example, noting that almost every scene had as many as 150 extras and that it costs millions of dollars to do that. When technology can replicate something at a fraction of the cost, industries built around the old model may have to adapt fast.

Speculative crypto token projects

O'Leary has been especially skeptical of smaller crypto projects, warning that many tokens lack real utility. In his view, a large portion could eventually just go to zero.

That does not mean he is anti-crypto. He draws a clear line between established assets and speculative ones, and projects without strong use cases or genuine adoption may struggle to survive as the market matures and investors get more selective.

Businesses heavily dependent on China-based supply chains

Geopolitics is another risk O'Leary has flagged. He has argued that tariffs on China should be dramatically higher, calling current measures inadequate and criticizing how trade relationships are structured.

He has noted that many businesses in China never abided by the rules they agreed to and that he cannot litigate in their courts. For companies relying heavily on overseas manufacturing in sensitive regions, that means rising costs and the constant threat of disruption.

Businesses with weak cash flow discipline

If there is one theme O'Leary returns to constantly, it is discipline. He has warned that even profitable companies can fail if they do not manage cash carefully.

He recommends business owners stay flexible, pivot, and preserve cash until they know the real velocity of the business. Growth, branding, and even profitability do not matter if a company cannot manage day-to-day finances. Poor cash control can quietly undo an otherwise strong business.

Bottom line

The common thread in O'Leary's warnings is simple: businesses that fail to adapt, whether to technology or cost pressures, may not disappear overnight, but they can steadily decline over time. That slow erosion is easy to miss until it starts affecting jobs or entire industries.

Look beyond headlines and evaluate where your income or investments are exposed. Focusing on adaptable companies and strong cash flow could help keep more money in your wallet over the long run.

Editor's Note: Portions of this story were drafted with assistance from generative AI tools. All final creative decisions, edits, and fact checking were done by human writers and editors.

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