Tech billionaire Elon Musk is once again making waves with his controversial compensation demands at Tesla. During the company’s Q3 2025 earnings call, Musk argued for a staggering $1 trillion pay package, claiming it’s necessary to maintain “strong influence” over Tesla’s developing robotic technologies.

Musk’s latest proposal goes far beyond traditional executive compensation, suggesting he needs financial insurance to ensure he can guide Tesla’s emerging robotics program. “My fundamental concern is if I build this enormous robot army, can I just be ousted at some point in the future?” Musk stated during the call, raising eyebrows across the tech industry.

The proposed compensation package would grant Musk nearly $1 trillion in Tesla stock over the next decade, contingent on hitting significant company milestones. This astronomical figure has already drawn intense criticism from unions and corporate watchdog groups, who have launched a “Take Back Tesla” campaign to challenge the pay plan.

While Tesla has been developing a humanoid robot called Optimus, previously described as a potential household helper, Musk’s rhetoric suggests more expansive ambitions. His comments about “wielding” a “robot army” mark a stark departure from earlier messaging about the robot’s domestic utility.

A coalition of labor organizations and corporate governance experts are pushing back against what they perceive as an excessive and potentially dangerous compensation structure. They argue that such a massive pay package not only represents an unprecedented corporate overreach but could potentially compromise ethical technological development.

As the tech world watches closely, Musk’s latest move underscores the ongoing tensions between visionary technological innovation and responsible corporate governance. Whether this trillion-dollar gambit will succeed remains to be seen, but it certainly continues Musk’s tradition of making headlines that blur the lines between audacious strategy and outright spectacle.