Shivon Zilis has confirmed that her relationship with Elon Musk has ended, saying the breakup came suddenly and expressing hope they can remain friends and co-parents.
Shivon Zilis, a Neuralink executive who previously worked at Tesla, has publicly confirmed the end of her relationship with Elon Musk after keeping much of their personal life private.
In her Oct. 2 post on X, Zilis described the separation as sudden. She said the transition from being in love to letting go happened within a week and without warning.
She also reflected on the relationship in positive terms, saying she was grateful for the family they built together.
The couple share four children. Their twins, Strider and Azure, were born in 2021, followed by daughter Arcadia in 2024 and son Seldon in 2025. Zilis said the children were a major source of gratitude despite the pain of the breakup.
Zilis also said she hopes she and Musk can remain “great friends and coparents.” She expressed continued care for Musk and said she would continue wishing him happiness.
The announcement included a screenshot of a recent text exchange between Zilis and Musk. In the messages, dated Sept. 24, the two exchanged affectionate remarks.
Musk also told Zilis that he would have invited her to a White House dinner involving Chinese President Xi Jinping if he had realized significant others could attend.
The public disclosure offered a rare look at a relationship that had largely remained private. Zilis and Musk had previously been linked romantically, while details of their family relationship became public through reporting and legal proceedings.
Earlier this year, Zilis discussed aspects of her relationship with Musk while testifying in the legal dispute involving Musk and OpenAI. She described how their relationship developed after initially discussing having children.
Musk has not publicly responded to Zilis’ breakup announcement. Zilis’ statement focused on the relationship’s end, her gratitude for their children and her hope that the two can continue working together as co-parents.
