Bloody pig’s head sent to Las Vegas businessman over AI deal

By Amy Groves  

Nevada News and Views

Blake Owens, a Las Vegas businessman and CEO of Agrippa, opened a package last week and found a blood-soaked pig’s head inside.

Tucked alongside it was a note, angry and anonymous, signed only with the letter “M.”

So what did Owens do? Insult the mob boss’s daughter?

Nope — this was in response to his use of AI in his business.

Owens had recently appeared in a TV news interview talking about how his company used AI to help close a real estate deal. Apparently, someone didn’t like that.

In the letter, the person claimed that AI wasn’t going to replace real estate brokers and accused Owens of not understanding how the industry works.

“Perhaps this person watched too much of The Godfather,” Owens told 8 News Now, trying to stay lighthearted. “Needless to say, I still take it very seriously.”

Behind the shocking delivery is a much bigger issue: fear. Fear of change. Fear of job loss. And fear of being left behind in a world that’s moving faster than ever.

Owens believes the person who mailed the pig’s head isn’t some hardened criminal, but likely someone who feels threatened.

He said he’s not trying to use AI to get rid of people — he wants to help them succeed with it.

“I don’t want to punch down on this person; they may be in a tough spot in life,” Owens said. “You don’t become a better person by making another man a lesser person.”

Owens says AI, when used correctly, can create more opportunity, not less. It’s a tool, like a hammer or a tractor.

And just like farming didn’t disappear when tractors came along, real estate professionals aren’t going away just because computers can help analyze data faster.

Agrippa isn’t the only Nevada-based business using AI. MGM Resorts, the state’s largest employer, recently reported that it’s using 70 to 80 AI programs across its operations, from hotel check-ins to staffing.

The Otonomous Hotel, which opened July 1, is already making headlines as one of the first AI-powered hotels in Las Vegas, even hosting foreign dignitaries from El Salvador.

From startups to Strip casinos, more and more companies are tapping into AI — not necessarily to eliminate jobs, but to streamline services and stay competitive.

Many conservatives agree that innovation is a good thing, especially when it reduces waste, cuts red tape, and makes government or business more efficient.

But the concern is valid: when change comes too fast, people get scared.

They worry about losing their place in the world. Instead of learning how to ride the wave, some try to fight the tide.

That never ends well.

Nevada conservatives know this firsthand. We’ve seen how bad government programs and bloated bureaucracy can slow down progress.

But smart, private-sector solutions (like AI used by folks like Owens) can help grow the economy without more government interference.

That’s why embracing new tools, while keeping strong values, matters.

“We’re trying to bring AI to the forefront,” he said. “It may ruffle some feathers, but in the long run, it’s the best thing to do.”

The Las Vegas Metro Police are now investigating the incident. Hopefully, whoever sent that threat will get the help they need — or at the very least, learn there are better ways to make a point.

Technology isn’t the enemy. Fear is.

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Amy Groves is director of the Coalition for Housing Freedom. You can contact her at amy@nevadasfinestproperties.com.