Tesla boss Elon Musk has just won shareholder approval for what could become the biggest pay package in corporate history, an eye-watering $878 billion (€820 billion) deal spread over ten years.
The vote took place at the company’s annual meeting in Austin, Texas, where around three-quarters of investors backed the plan. The huge payout isn’t a simple cash bonus, though. Musk will only get the full amount if Tesla meets some very ambitious targets, including delivering 20 million vehicles, launching one million robotaxis, selling one million humanoid robots, and hitting a total market value of $8.5 trillion.
Supporters say the deal is a way to keep Musk focused on Tesla’s next big phase, pushing deeper into AI, robotics and self-driving technology. Critics, however, argue that the sum is so vast it raises questions about fairness and whether it’s possible to achieve such sky-high goals. One observer commented, “Placing such a high price on these targets raises questions about competition but also ethics. I worry that Musk and his team could be blinded by dollar signs and forget their duty to protect workers, customers and investors.”
Tesla eyes its own AI chip factory
The decision comes just as Musk revealed another big idea for the company’s future, a plan to build a “mega AI chip fab”, or semiconductor factory, to produce advanced computer chips for Tesla’s next generation of self-driving cars and robots.
Speaking at the same event, he casually mentioned that leading American technology company Intel could join the project, though no deal has been confirmed. Still, the news alone gave Intel’s share price a boost as investors reacted to the prospect of working with one of the world’s most influential tech figures.
Robots, reality and the road ahead
The deal is a reminder that Tesla is serious about its shift from electric carmaker to leader in artificial intelligence and robotics. And, beyond Muskś massive pay check, the news shows how the once-futuristic world of AI and robotics is quickly turning into reality, shaping the next wave of jobs, industry and everyday life.
