In a courtroom moment that drew laughter, Elon Musk briefly hesitated when asked under oath about Shivon Zilis. “She is my chief of staff,” he began, then trailed off. The next day he clarified: “We live together. And she’s the mother of four of my children.” The exchange thrust Zilis, a relatively low-profile but influential figure, into the spotlight amid Musk’s high-stakes legal dispute with OpenAI and Microsoft.
Born in Markham, Ontario, Zilis, 40, is the daughter of a Punjabi-origin mother, Sharda Zilis, and Canadian father Richard Zilis. She grew up in Canada, attended Unionville High School and went on to Yale University, where she played hockey. After graduating in 2008, she started at IBM in its cognitive computing division, later became a founding member of Bloomberg Beta, and was named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30” in 2015.
Zilis began advising OpenAI around 2016 and served on its non-profit board until 2023. Around that time she is believed to have developed a personal relationship with Musk. Professionally, she worked at Tesla from 2017 to 2019 on Autopilot and chip design projects and later held a senior position at Neuralink.
Zilis and Musk have four children together: twins born in 2021, a daughter in 2023 and a son in 2024. Musk’s courtroom acknowledgment of their relationship moved what had been largely private into public view.
Her significance in the lawsuit stems not only from the personal connection but from her proximity to OpenAI’s inner circle. Court filings and messages shown at trial suggest she remained in contact with OpenAI leadership after Musk left its board in 2018. One cited message shows her asking Musk whether to stay friendly with OpenAI “to keep info flowing” or to distance herself; Musk reportedly advised staying close.
Court evidence portrays Zilis as a conduit of information who exchanged updates with senior OpenAI figures, including Sam Altman, Greg Brockman and Ilya Sutskever. Messages also show Altman seeking her input on responding to Musk during tense periods.
Musk’s lawsuit centers on the claim that OpenAI strayed from its original non-profit mission. Given Zilis’ unique position—close to Musk while interacting with OpenAI leaders—her role could be pivotal. Her testimony may clarify whether she acted purely as a professional associate or as an informal bridge between Musk and the organisation during escalating tensions. As the trial proceeds, both sides are likely to scrutinise her interactions and influence.
