At Tesla's 2025 annual shareholder meeting in Austin, Texas, investors approved a $1 trillion compensation plan for CEO Elon Musk, securing his leadership for the next decade. To celebrate, Musk danced onstage with the company's Optimus humanoid robot, highlighting Tesla's push into AI and robotics. The approval, with about 75% in favor, ties Musk's payout to ambitious milestones like growing the company's market value to $8.5 trillion.
Tesla's 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting took place on November 7, 2025, in Austin, Texas, where shareholders voted on CEO Elon Musk's performance-based compensation award. The board had adopted the plan on September 3, 2025, but Musk could not receive the shares until shareholder approval and clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. Preliminary results showed around 75% approval, despite opposition from some institutional investors and government retirement funds. Supporters, including ARK Invest led by Cathie Wood and Charles Schwab Corp, along with retail investors, backed the package, viewing Musk as essential for Tesla's growth in AI, self-driving technology, and robotics.
The tiered plan, worth $1 trillion in stock over 10 years, requires Musk to meet challenging milestones, such as delivering 20 million vehicles, operating 1 million robotaxis, selling 1 million Optimus robots, and achieving $400 billion in core profit. Tesla's market capitalization must rise sequentially from about $1.5 trillion to $8.5 trillion, leveraging advancements in full self-driving software, the Robotaxi platform, and the Optimus humanoid robot. While the gross value is $1 trillion, Musk could net around $878 billion after required payments back to Tesla.
Excitement peaked as Musk entered to chants of “Elon, Elon, Elon” from investors and board members. The audience requested a celebratory dance, prompting Musk to groove briefly onstage, joined by Optimus robots mimicking his moves. In his opening remarks, Musk stated: “What we’re about to embark upon is not merely a new chapter of the future of Tesla, but a whole new book... Optimus is a fundamental part of that.” He added, joking to the crowd: “Other shareholder meetings are like snoozefests, but ours are bangers. Look at this — this is sick,” while proclaiming Tesla's entry into “a new era, not just in cars, but in robotics and AI.”
The viral video of the dance, posted by Musk on X, drew widespread reactions online, with users commenting on its robotic flair and Musk's irreplaceable role at Tesla. This approval solidifies Musk's long-term commitment amid the company's transition to emerging technologies.
