Tesla shareholders have approved an unprecedented $878 billion pay package for chief executive officer Elon Musk, cementing his control over the world’s most valuable electric-vehicle maker and signalling faith in his plan to transform it into a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and humanoid robotics.

The proposal passed with more than 75% support at the company’s annual meeting in Austin, Texas last week, where Musk appeared on stage flanked by dancing robots. The award, the largest in corporate history, could be worth as much as $1 trillion in stock over the next decade.

The board argued the plan was vital to keep Musk at Tesla’s helm as he pushes the company beyond cars and into AI-driven products.

“What we are about to embark upon is not merely a new chapter of the future of Tesla, but a whole new book,” Musk told cheering investors. He promised production of Tesla’s steeringless “Cybercab” robotaxi from April, a new Roadster sports car, and what he called a gigantic chip fabrication plant to supply the company’s AI ambitions.

Tesla will also invest in xAI, Musk’s AI startup, though analysts warned of potential conflicts of interest.

Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services, two firms which advise large institutional investors on how to vote on corporate governance matters, had urged shareholders to reject the deal, calling it excessively costly and poorly aligned with long-term oversight. Norway’s sovereign wealth fund also voted against it.

But many investors said the structure ties Musk’s rewards to Tesla’s performance, with payouts triggered only if the company meets extraordinary milestones over the next decade: 20 million vehicle deliveries, 1 million robotaxis, 1 million humanoid robots, and up to $400 billion in annual profit.

If achieved, Tesla’s valuation could climb from about $1.5 trillion today to more than $8.5 trillion, placing it alongside the world’s largest corporations and giving Musk roughly 12 percent of its stock. For supporters of the deal, the package anchors the billionaire’s focus on Tesla’s next frontier. For critics, it hands him near-total influence over a company betting its future on machines that can drive and, eventually, think for themselves.