Elon Musk Issues Chilling Warning: 'Robot Army' Could Rise If I'm Forced Out of Tesla

Elon Musk has stunned investors and the public after making alarming remarks about his control over Tesla and its expanding robotics program.

During a fiery earnings call, Yahoo reported that the billionaire CEO lashed out at critics of his proposed £790 billion ($1 trillion) compensation package, labeling them 'corporate terrorists' and warning that his removal from Tesla could trigger a 'robot army' scenario.

Musk's trillion-dollar deal, if approved, would be the largest compensation package in corporate history. It will also grant Musk a significantly greater stake in the electric car company. His comments, however, have raised eyebrows among analysts who say they blur the line between technology ambition and 'unchecked power'.

Why Elon Musk's $1 trillion Pay Package Got Rejected

In detail, the world's richest man unleashed his frustration on two influential proxy advisory firms, ISS and Glass Lewis, that advised Tesla shareholders to vote against his record-breaking pay deal.

The firms argued that Musk's proposed package would give him excessive control and reward him too heavily for hypothetical achievements. This would also nearly double his ownership of Tesla from 13% to about 29%, dwarfing his previous £44 billion ($56 billion) deal.

Should Musk get approval, he will only receive the payout if Tesla hits a series of massive performance targets, including reaching a company valuation of £6.7 trillion ($8.5 trillion).

Analysts call this milestone 'extraordinarily ambitious', though some investors say Musk's track record proves he thrives on setting near-impossible goals.

Musk, in return, retaliated by stating that they have 'no freaking clue what they're doing'. He accused the firms of trying to manipulate shareholders into pushing him out of Tesla, a move he claimed would jeopardize the company's future.

To be specific, Musk pointed to the company's ambitious plan to create millions of autonomous robotaxis and its humanoid robot, Optimus, suggesting that these developments represented a new frontier that required stable leadership.

What Could Happen to Tesla's 'Robot Army' Without Elon Musk?

Musk implied that if he were removed from power, Tesla's most advanced AI systems, the so-called 'robot army', might end up under the control of people who don't share his vision.

In essence, Musk was warning that without his oversight, Tesla's technological empire could fall into the hands of corporate interests rather than innovators.

Unfortunately, if anything, Musk's harsh language and his fixation on maintaining control have only reignited debates about his leadership style. Governance experts say his remarks about a 'robot army' reveal a growing obsession with power. Analysts believe calling 'financial advisers corporate terrorists for doing their job is reckless'.

Others also believe Musk sees any challenge to his authority as a direct attack on Tesla's destiny, and that's 'worrying for shareholders'.

Musk has long described Tesla's 'Optimus' robots and autonomous systems as key to his vision for the future, often framing them as tools that will 'revolutionize work and society'. However, his insistence on keeping personal control over these technologies has fueled speculation about how much unchecked influence he holds.

The shareholders' vote for Tesla's proposed compensation package for Musk is scheduled for 6 November 2025, with the voting deadline set at 11:59 p.m. ET on 5 November.