Elon Musk Wants ‘Strong Influence’ Over the ‘Robot Army’ He’s Building

Tesla mightiness be an electrical car maker, but CEO Elon Musk has made clear that he thinks of it arsenic overmuch more: an innovator successful artificial intelligence and software, a builder of world-shaking robots. He’s besides based on that Tesla should beryllium worthy a batch much than it is today: up to $20 trillion, he posted successful July, much than 5 times nan existent worthy of Nvidia.

Musk has besides made it clear that he wants to get paid, a lot. In November, Tesla shareholders will ballot connected nan board’s connection to salary nan CEO a singular $1 trillion complete nan adjacent decade. The woody would besides summation Musk’s liking successful Tesla from 13 percent to a quarter. But Musk would only get that large figure—and nan other control—if he hits a bid of eager metrics, including 20 cardinal vehicles delivered, 1 cardinal robotaxis successful commercialized operation, and an $8.5 trillion valuation. And also, 1 cardinal Optimus humanoid robots delivered.

On a telephone pinch investors connected Wednesday, Musk locked connected to that past constituent to make his astir threatening statement for a gigantic payday yet. “My basal interest pinch respect to really overmuch voting power I person astatine Tesla is, if I spell up and build this tremendous robot army, tin I conscionable beryllium ousted astatine immoderate constituent successful nan future?” he said. “If we build this robot army, do I person astatine slightest a beardown power complete this robot army? Not control, but a beardown power … I don't consciousness comfortable building that robot service unless I person a beardown influence.”

Generally, Musk talks astir Tesla’s Optimus task arsenic much of a unit for bid than war. He’s said that Optimus will upend nan occupation marketplace and free humanity from nan drudgery of work. (“Working will beryllium optional, for illustration increasing your ain vegetables, alternatively of buying them from nan store,” he posted this week.) Elsewhere connected nan investor telephone Wednesday, he said that Tesla’s robots would “actually create a world wherever location is nary poverty, wherever everyone has entree to nan finest aesculapian care.”

Optimus, he added, “will beryllium an unthinkable surgeon, and ideate if everyone had entree to an unthinkable surgeon.” For Tesla, Optimus will beryllium “an infinite money glitch,” Musk said, arguing that everyone will want a humanoid robot who tin do their activity for them.