Shivon Zilis Husband, Biography, Family, Boyfriend, and More

Shivon Zilis, 36, is a renowned AI researcher and venture capitalist who currently serves as the Director of Operations and Special Projects at Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain chip startup. Known for her significant contributions to the tech industry, Zilis’ career is a testament to her expertise and dedication. In addition to her professional accomplishments, she is also the mother of Elon Musk’s secret twins, who were born in November 2021. With an estimated net worth of $5 million, Zilis continues to influence the fields of artificial intelligence and venture capital.

Early life and education

Shivon Zilis was born to a Punjabi Indian mother and a Canadian father. Her multicultural heritage played an important role in shaping her worldview. During his school days, Zilis excelled at ice hockey, winning an athletic scholarship to Yale University. Her excellent academic performance also helped her win an academic scholarship thanks to her high scores. At Yale, she played as goalie for the school’s women’s ice hockey team, achieving one of the best save percentages in the team’s history.

Hobbies: Studying and music

While at Yale, Zilis’s interests were not limited to sports. She plays drums and guitar, showing off her diverse talents. Her passion for literature led her to artificial intelligence, inspired by “The Age of Spiritual Machines” by Ray Kurzweil. The Canadian band Our Lady Peace motivated her to research AI further. Although she initially considered returning to Canada after graduation, Zilis was fascinated by the history of technology development in the United States and decided to pursue a career there.

Early Career at IBM

In 2007, Zilis joined IBM as a Thought Leadership Analyst. She quickly became involved in IBM’s microfinance initiative, traveling to countries such as Peru and Indonesia. There, she developed systems to provide financial services to small businesses in developing countries. Her work included formulating mobile finance strategies, Chinese banking solutions strategies, and overcoming consumer payment disruptions. This experience marked the beginning of her entrepreneurial and venture capital journey.

Founder of Bloomberg Beta

In March 2011, Zilis co-founded Bloomberg Beta with Roy Bahat, Karin Klein and James Cham. Bloomberg Beta is an early-stage venture capital firm funded by Bloomberg LP focused on machine intelligence. Zilis’ role within the company has emphasized her commitment to driving innovation and supporting startups. Her efforts were recognized and she was included in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for venture capital in 2015.

Role and recognition

Zilis has served on the boards of various organizations, including the Global Community Charter School, the Vector Institute in Toronto, and the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii). She has also worked as a Research Fellow at the Creative Destruction Lab and became a Charter Member of C100, which supports entrepreneurship and technology investment in Canada. In 2016, she began advising OpenAI, a non-profit founded by Elon Musk. In 2020, she was appointed to the board of directors, one of the youngest people to hold that position.

Personal life and relationship with Elon Musk

Shivon Zilis and Elon Musk first met in 2016 after she joined OpenAI. Their professional relationship grew, and in July 2022, court documents revealed that Zilis and Musk had twins, who were born in November 2021. The revelation came shortly before Musk’s former partner, Grimes, gave birth to their second child. Musk and Zilis reportedly live together in Austin, Texas, and have filed to change their children’s last name to Musk and their middle name to Zilis.

Support and advocacy

Zilis is famous for supporting Musk on social media, often agreeing with his views on topics such as utopian and zero-sum games. She has publicly defended Musk, especially when he faced criticism for moving Tesla out of California during the Covid-19 pandemic. Responding to Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher’s tweet, Zilis wrote about her admiration for Musk’s dedication to a better future for humanity.

Conclusion

Shivon Zilis’ journey from a Yale scholar and ice hockey player to a leading figure in AI and venture capital is inspiring. Her work at Neuralink, OpenAI and Bloomberg Beta highlights her expertise and commitment to advancing technology. Despite her private personality, her relationship with Elon Musk and their secret twins has put her personal life in the spotlight. Zilis remains a respected figure in the technology industry, admired for her contributions and tireless support of innovation.

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