The Kraken AI Arises

THE SENTIMENT INSPECTOR

Octopus Energy Group, a British renewable energy company, has positioned itself as a global leader in the transition to green energy. With its proprietary AI-driven platform, Kraken, and a rapidly expanding international footprint, the company boasts an impressive resume: millions of customers served, billions in revenue, and a mission to decarbonize the planet. But beneath this polished exterior, questions arise about the true nature of its operations, particularly its involvement in rebuilding Ukraine’s war-torn infrastructure, the murky use of customer data to train its AI, and potential ties to speculative financial schemes. At the helm of this enterprise sits Simon Clark, a figure whose role as chairman of both Octopus Energy and the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) raises eyebrows about the convergence of corporate power, influence, and geopolitical agendas.

Tentacles in Ukraine

In January 2024, The National reported that Octopus Energy had initiated talks with Ukraine’s state-owned power company, DTEK, to explore a partnership aimed at rebuilding the country’s battered energy grid. Ukraine’s infrastructure has been relentlessly targeted by Russian forces since the escalation of conflict in 2022, leaving its power systems in disarray. On the surface, Octopus’s interest appears altruistic, a chance to deploy its Kraken software to modernize and restore a nation’s energy backbone. The company’s advanced technology could ostensibly streamline operations, integrate renewable energy, and bolster resilience against future disruptions.

But the timing and context invite skepticism. Ukraine, a geopolitical flashpoint, has become a magnet for Western corporations seeking to capitalize on post-war reconstruction. Octopus, with its global ambitions and backing from heavyweights like Generation Investment Management and Tokyo Gas, stands to gain not just goodwill but significant market leverage. What are the terms of this potential deal?

Will it grant Octopus outsized influence over Ukraine’s energy future, potentially at the expense of local sovereignty? The lack of transparency in these early-stage talks, coupled with Octopus’s aggressive expansion into 18 countries, suggests a strategy that may prioritize profit and control over pure humanitarian intent.

Without concrete details, one must wonder: is this a lifeline for Ukraine or a foothold for a corporate giant?

Kraken Unleashed

Central to Octopus’s operations is Kraken, a cloud-based platform touted as a revolutionary tool for managing energy utilities. According to the company’s own claims, Kraken leverages advanced data analytics and machine learning to optimize customer service, grid management, and renewable energy integration. By March 2025, Octopus reports that Kraken is contracted to serve over 60 million accounts worldwide, a figure that has ballooned from 32 million in 2023 and 17 million just a few years prior. This rapid growth raises a critical question: how is this AI being trained, and what data fuels its capabilities?

The scale, 50 million accounts or more, implies that Octopus is amassing a vast trove of customer information, from energy usage patterns to personal billing details. While the company frames this as a means to enhance efficiency and offer innovative tariffs (like its “Fan Club” discounts tied to wind turbine activity), the implications are troubling. Is this data being used solely to improve services, or is it feeding a broader, less transparent agenda?

Customer consent and privacy hang in the balance, yet Octopus provides little public insight into the specifics of Kraken’s training process. Are these millions of accounts unwitting contributors to a system that could extend beyond energy management into more speculative ventures?

Kraken Exchange and AI Token Coin Scams:

The plot thickens when considering a potential link to Kraken Exchange, a cryptocurrency platform (not directly affiliated with Octopus Energy, despite the shared name). Kraken Exchange has promoted AI-driven cryptocurrency projects, some of which have been flagged as speculative or outright scams within the crypto community. Could Octopus’s Kraken AI, trained on a massive dataset, be feeding into such schemes? There’s no direct evidence tying Octopus Energy to Kraken Exchange or AI coin scams, but the coincidence of names and the opaque nature of Octopus’s AI ambitions invite suspicion.

Imagine a scenario: data from 50 million accounts, anonymized or not, is leveraged to model predictive algorithms that could be sold or licensed to third parties, including those in the volatile crypto space. Octopus’s focus on scalability and its goal to reach 100 million accounts by 2027 suggest a hunger for dominance that might not stop at energy markets. While this remains speculative, the absence of clear boundaries around Kraken’s applications leaves room for doubt. What is Octopus doing with this AI beyond the glossy promises of green energy?

The company’s silence on such possibilities only fuels unease.

Simon Clark and the CCDH

Adding another layer of intrigue is Simon Clark, Octopus Energy’s chairman and a prominent figure at the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH). The CCDH has gained notoriety for its campaigns against online misinformation, often targeting controversial voices and pushing for stricter digital regulation. Clark’s dual role raises questions about the intersection of Octopus’s corporate interests and the CCDH’s ideological pursuits. Is there a nexus here that extends to Ukraine?

The CCDH’s focus on shaping narratives could theoretically align with Octopus’s efforts to secure a foothold in a geopolitically sensitive region. A stable, Western-aligned Ukraine rebuilt with Octopus’s technology could serve as a propaganda win, a showcase of capitalist innovation triumphing over adversity. Clark’s influence might help silence critics or shape public perception of Octopus’s motives, casting its expansion as a moral imperative rather than a calculated grab for power. While no hard evidence links the CCDH’s activities directly to Octopus’s Ukraine plans, the overlap in leadership suggests a synergy of interests that warrants scrutiny. Could Clark be orchestrating a broader agenda where energy, data, and narrative control converge?

Why does that plushie look so evil?

Octopus Energy Group presents itself as a beacon of sustainability, but its actions, particularly in Ukraine, with Kraken’s AI, and under Simon Clark’s stewardship, hint at a more complex reality. The potential exploitation of 50 million accounts to train an AI with unclear boundaries, the specter of financial speculation, and the strategic positioning in a war-ravaged nation all demand answers. Ukraine itself has become a proving ground for new technology in war and corporate innovation, especially in open-source intelligence (OSINT) and AIs built to support it, amplifying the stakes of Octopus’s involvement. Without clarity, the company’s tentacles appear less benevolent and more nefarious, stretching into realms of influence and profit that belie its green rhetoric.

What is Octopus truly building with Kraken? How will it wield its growing power in Ukraine and beyond?

Octopus Energy’s mission risks tarnishing under the weight of suspicion.

The sentiment inspector is on the trail.

References :

https://www.kraken.com/en-gb/categories/artificial-intelligence

https://octopusenergy.group/kraken-technologies

https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/energy/2024/01/29/octopus-energy-switches-on-talks-with-ukraines-power-company/

This article (The Kraken AI Arises.) was created and published by The Sentiment Inspector and is republished here under “fair use”