In her second major public appearance within six months, Shivon Zilis, a top executive at Elon Musk’s Neuralink, accompanied the SpaceX CEO as he met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Blair House in Washington. Musk’s three children were also present during the meeting. PM Modi shared photos of the gathering on X, writing: “It was also a delight to meet Mr. @elonmusk’s family and to talk about a wide range of subjects!”
Earlier, on January 19, Zilis had attended a high-profile dinner at the Building Museum in Washington, a day before Donald Trump’s inauguration as U.S. President. She was seen alongside Musk, who has been appointed head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Trump’s administration. A widely circulated photo from the event captured Musk in conversation with Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, while Zilis observed.
Who is Shivon Zilis?
Born in Canada, the 38-year-old Zilis is the Director of Operations and Special Projects at Neuralink, Musk’s brain-chip startup, which she joined in May 2017. According to her LinkedIn profile, she has also worked at OpenAI and Tesla. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Philosophy from Yale University. Her contributions to Bloomberg Beta earned her a place on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in venture capital in 2015, as well as LinkedIn’s 35 Under 35 list.
Zilis and Musk share three children. Their twins, Strider and Azure, were born in 2021, with their names officially changed to include Musk’s surname in April 2022. The couple had a third child in early 2024, though the child’s name and gender remain undisclosed.
Walter Isaacson, Musk’s biographer, described Zilis as Musk’s “intellectual companion on artificial intelligence since the founding of OpenAI.” She has often defended Musk publicly and frequently posts about him on X. On January 21, 2025, she shared a clip of Musk’s speech at the Presidential parade, highlighting his statement: “There need to be things that inspire you. There need to be things that make you glad to wake up in the morning.”
Musk, a vocal advocate for increasing birth rates to counteract the “underpopulation crisis,” has fathered 12 children with three partners. His children with Canadian musician Grimes include X Æ A-Xii Musk, born in May 2020, daughter Exa Dark Sideræl, born in December 2021, and Techno Mechanicus Musk, nicknamed ‘Tau,’ born in June 2022. Musk also has five surviving children from his marriage to Justine Wilson, whom he divorced in 2008.
In 2024, Musk reportedly purchased a 14,400-square-foot mansion in Texas for $35 million, designed to accommodate his large family. He recently brought his son X on stage at a pre-inauguration rally for Trump, referring to him as an “enthusiastic supporter.” Musk also took X to the Oval Office as Trump signed an executive order strengthening DOGE’s authority—a move that drew criticism from his former partner, Grimes.
As Musk continues to expand his influence in both technology and politics, Zilis appears to be playing a growing role in his public and professional life.
