Neuralink Executive Shivon Zilis Splits From Elon Musk

Shivon Zilis, who has played a central role in managing Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence ventures, announced on the social media platform X that she and Musk have ended their relationship. Zilis, who shares four children with Musk, revealed the sudden split after an automated account noted that Musk had unfollowed her on the platform. In her public statement, Zilis expressed grief over the rapid transition, writing that it is difficult to let go "with no warning" after being in love.

The separation brings renewed attention to Zilis's prominent yet debated position within Musk's corporate network. During a recent court trial involving Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI, Zilis testified that she worked 80-to-100-hour weeks to resolve bottlenecks across Tesla, Neuralink, and OpenAI. While she denied under oath that she served as Musk's chief of staff, Musk himself testified that she did hold that role. Zilis was also a member of OpenAI's board of directors when she gave birth to twins with Musk, keeping their parentage secret until court documents became public in 2022.

Musk's personal life has frequently intersected with his business operations, often managed by his fixer, Jared Birchall, who coordinates privacy agreements. Musk has 14 known children in total. Other mothers of his children have faced public legal and personal battles. Ashley St. Clair, who claims she rejected a $40 million non-disclosure agreement from Musk, is currently suing him over deepfake nude images of her generated by his Grok chatbot. Additionally, the musician Grimes sued Musk to establish a parental relationship after publicly pleading in 2023 for access to her son.

Despite the abrupt breakup, Zilis maintained a highly supportive tone toward Musk in her announcement. She praised his dedication to humanity and described him as a "tortured soul" whom she wanted to comfort. Her public comments echo her recent praise of a memoir by Musk's mother, Maye Musk, which Zilis recommended as a guide for navigating difficult moments.