Elon Musk has expressed his preference for greater control over Tesla Inc. before venturing into building artificial intelligence (AI) products within the company. Specifically, he stated that he would rather develop AI products outside of Tesla if he doesn’t have 25% voting control.
This is because Musk views Tesla as a conglomerate of multiple startups rather than just an electric car manufacturer. The company is involved in various cutting-edge projects, including the development of the Optimus robot and the Dojo supercomputer for training machine-learning models behind Tesla’s self-driving systems. Tesla’s innovations extend beyond electric vehicles (EVs) and include advancements in AI and robotics.
Elon Musk emphasizes the need for influence in shaping Tesla’s AI and robotics endeavors. With 25% voting control, he would have a significant say in decision-making. At a lower ownership percentage, the risk of being overridden by other shareholders could make a takeover by external interests too easy. Musk’s desire for greater control stems from his vision of Tesla as a multifaceted technology company, and he wants to ensure that the company remains at the forefront of AI and robotics development.