Shivon Zilis, a Neuralink executive and the mother of four of Elon Musk’s children, testified on Wednesday in Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI. The trial, now in its second week, centres on Musk’s allegations that OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman and president Greg Brockman breached a founding agreement by restructuring the company from a non-profit to a for-profit entity. Musk seeks to undo the restructuring and obtain $134bn in damages.
Zilis, who served on OpenAI’s board from 2020 to 2023, is a key witness as OpenAI’s lawyers argue she acted as an informant for Musk after he left the company in 2018. Court filings reveal text messages in which Zilis asked Musk whether she should “stay close and friendly to OpenAI to keep info flowing,” to which Musk responded affirmatively. However, during her testimony, Zilis denied “funnelling” information to Musk, stating she facilitated communication between Musk and OpenAI during what she called a “tricky half breakup”.
Zilis testified that she initially supported OpenAI’s shift to a for-profit structure and its partnership with Microsoft, believing it would further the company’s mission. She also revealed that her romantic relationship with Musk began around 2016, and she decided to have children with him in late 2020 after he offered to “make a donation”. The couple now has four children and lives together in Austin, Texas.
OpenAI rejects Musk’s claims, arguing he was a “sore loser” who left after a failed bid for control and now seeks vengeance due to OpenAI’s success. The trial continues to shed light on the complex personal and professional ties between Musk, Zilis, and OpenAI’s leadership.
