--- title: "Elon Musk Says Being Tesla CEO Might Kill Him" description: "Speaking remotely at an event on Tuesday, Musk said he was committed to leading Tesla for at least the next five years." date: "2025-05-21" modified: "2025-05-21" authors: - name: "Joe Wilkins" job_title: "Correspondent" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jwilkins" url: "https://futurism.com/elon-musk-tesla-kill" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "Tesla" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "billionaires" - "elon musk" - "tesla" --- # Elon Musk Says Being Tesla CEO Might Kill Him ![Speaking remotely at an event on Tuesday, Musk said he was committed to leading Tesla for at least the next five years.]() *\Image: Win McNamee / Getty / Futurism\* America's most infamous tech baron has no plans to quit Tesla anytime soon, according to a recent interview. Speaking remotely as a looming, dystopian figure (something he [seems to love]()) at *Bloomberg's* [Qatar Economic Forum]() on Tuesday, Musk said he was committed to leading Tesla for at least the next five years. "No doubt about that at all?" the interviewer asked as he hovered above. "Well," Musk paused, "no, I'd die." The world's richest person was speaking as [confusion grows]() regarding his official role with DOGE and his fiduciary commitments to Tesla shareholders. Tesla shareholders previously devised two pay packages worth $56 billion — both of which [were rejected]() by Delaware judge Kathaleen McCormick. During today's interview, Musk had some choice words for the judge. "I'm confident that whatever some activist posing as a judge in Delaware happens to do will not affect future compensation," Musk muttered. "Not the judge, the activist who is cosplaying a judge in a Halloween costume," the billionaire sneered. Last week, the [*Financial Times* reported]() that Tesla has convened a "special committee" to review Musk's hefty salary, which is primarily based on company stock options. "Does that mean that the value of your pay doesn't have any bearing on your decision?" the interviewer asked Musk of his choice to stay, during today's event. "Uh, well, that's not really a story for discussion in this forum," the tech tycoon said. "I think obviously there should be conversation for, if there's something incredible is \[sic\] done, the compensation should match." Going by that logic, Tesla’s special committee may come up empty-handed when looking for reasons to justify paying Musk at all, let alone for "something incredible." In the first three months of 2025, [Tesla's sales plummeted]() 13 percent compared to the same period in 2024 — the biggest drop in the company's history. Tesla is likewise [terminally late]() on rolling out its "robotaxi" service, while its new [Model Y]() struggles to win over buyers, and over 10,000 [unsold Cybertrucks]() gather dust. During the interview, Musk went on to confirm that he's pushing ahead with his [lawsuit against OpenAI](), the stated goal of which is to contest OpenAI's restructuring as a for-profit venture. Reading between the lines, it's not hard to see an [ulterior motive]() for Musk: his for-profit AI company, xAI, is in direct competition with OpenAI's ChatGPT. Musk also stated that he plans to scale back his [political spending](), after dumping millions into right-wing political campaigns. "I think I've done enough," he said. **More on Musk:** [*Elon Musk "Finished," His Close Allies Admit*]() ## Author At Futurism, I focus on the intersection of technology and power — examining the economics, history, and politics behind today’s dystopian headlines. As a writer, I’m interested in topics ranging from AI’s impact on labor to startups nobody asked for. My prior work includes bylines in Jacobin, Verso, and Blue Labyrinths. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Forbes, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, Time, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Verge, and Wired. I grew up in Michigan, attending Central Michigan University as well as Ball State University, where I earned a master of music. I now live in Brooklyn with my girlfriend and our cat Ziti. On weekends, you can find me hunched over a cold pint arguing geopolitics with the other transplants. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()