Elon Musk’s Partner Shivon Zilis: The Indian Connection Behind a Leading AI Executive

Elon Musk recently revealed on Zerodha founder Nikhil Kamath's podcast that his partner, Shivon Zilis, is half Indian, highlighting a personal and professional connection that adds an Indian dimension to his global family. One of their sons even carries the middle name "Sekhar," honoring the renowned Indian-American Nobel laureate physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar.

Shivon Zilis is a distinguished figure in artificial intelligence and technology circles. Born to a Punjabi mother and a Canadian father, she was given up for adoption as a baby and raised in Canada. She holds degrees in Economics and Philosophy from Yale University and has held influential roles in numerous high-profile companies including IBM, Bloomberg, Tesla, OpenAI, and Musk's neurotechnology venture Neuralink.

Since joining Neuralink in 2017, Zilis has served as Director of Operations and Special Projects, playing a key role in the early development and operational strategy of the company focused on brain-machine interfaces. She describes Neuralink as the most "complicated but also fascinating" work she has undertaken.

In addition to her work at Neuralink, Zilis has contributed significantly to the AI and startup ecosystem. She has been a fellow at the University of Toronto's Creative Destruction Lab, advising deep-tech startups, and has served on boards such as the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii), the Vector Institute, and OpenAI. Most recently, she joined the board of Shield AI, a defense tech company working on AI solutions for aircraft.

Musk and Zilis have four children together: twins Strider and Azure (born 2021), a daughter Arcadia (born 2024), and their youngest son, Seldon Lycurgus. Musk's acknowledgment of her Indian heritage and their children's names underscores a blend of cultural heritage and scientific inspiration.

Furthermore, Musk has expressed admiration for Indian talent, emphasizing the significant contributions Indians have made, especially in the United States, and lamented the tightening immigration policies that may hinder this exchange.