Elon Musk wants a “powerful influence” over the “robot army” he is building
It might be Tesla An electric car maker, but CEO Elon Musk has made it clear he thinks about it much more than that: an innovator in artificial intelligence and software, and a builder of world-shaking robots. He’s also argued that Tesla should be worth much more than it is today: as much as $20 trillion. Published in Julymore than five times the current value of Nvidia.
Musk has also made it clear that he wants to make a lot of money. In November, Tesla shareholders will vote on the board’s proposal to pay the CEO a cool $1 trillion over the next decade. The deal would also increase Musk’s stake in Tesla from 13 percent to a quarter. But Musk won’t get that big number — and the extra control — unless he hits a series of ambitious metrics, including 20 million vehicles delivered, 1 million robotaxis in commercial operation, and an $8.5 trillion valuation. Also, one million Optimus robots were delivered.
On a call with investors on Wednesday, Musk focused on that last point to make his most threatening argument for a massive payday yet. “My main concern with how much control I have over the vote at Tesla is, if I go ahead and build this huge army of robots, could I get eliminated at some point in the future?” He said. “If we build this robot army, will I at least have a strong influence over this robot army? Not control, but a strong influence… I don’t feel comfortable building this robot army unless I have a strong influence.”
Overall, Musk talks about Tesla’s Optimus project as more a force for peace than war. He said that Optimus would turn the labor market upside down and free humanity from the drudgery of labor. (“The work will be optional, like growing your own vegetables, rather than buying them from the store.”) to publish this week.) Elsewhere on Wednesday’s investor call, he said Tesla’s robots “will actually create a world where there is no poverty, where everyone has access to the best medical care.”
He added that Optimus “would be a great surgeon, and imagine if everyone had access to a great surgeon.” For Tesla, Optimus would be an “endless financial disruption,” Musk said, arguing that everyone would want a humanoid robot that could do their work for them.