Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk has expressed his desire to have more control over the company’s direction in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. Musk took to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, to state that he would be uncomfortable growing Tesla’s leadership in AI and robotics without having around 25% voting control. He wants to have enough influence to shape the company’s direction, but not so much that he cannot be overturned.
Musk’s request may seem unusual, considering he is already the CEO and largest individual shareholder of Tesla. However, his motivation behind seeking greater control appears to stem from his concerns about the uncontrolled advancement of AI. Musk has repeatedly emphasized the potential dangers of artificial intelligence, going as far as saying that it is one of the biggest threats to humanity.
At present, Musk’s demand does not impact Tesla investors directly. He stated that he is awaiting a decision in his Delaware compensation case before approaching the board about gaining the desired 25% voting control. However, if Musk follows through on his threat to shift more AI and robotics development outside of Tesla, it could pose challenges. Musk had previously predicted that Tesla’s Optimus robot would eventually be worth more than the car business and full self-driving.
While the impact of Musk’s pursuit of control remains uncertain, it highlights his commitment to shaping the development of AI and robotics. As Tesla continues to pioneer AI in autonomous driving and make strides in robotics, it remains to be seen how this pursuit of control will manifest in the company’s future.
