Former OpenAI Director Testifies in Musk's High-Stakes Lawsuit
Shivon Zilis testified in Elon Musk's federal lawsuit over OpenAI's shift toward a for‑profit arm, a case seeking roughly $134bn–$150bn in damages.
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The GuardianShivon Zilis, mother of four of Elon Musk’s children, testifies in OpenAI trial
Business InsiderShivon Zilis tells jury that Elon Musk was her twins' secret IVF donor — until Business Insider found out
Overview
Shivon Zilis, a former OpenAI board member and Neuralink executive, testified for Elon Musk in the federal Musk v Altman trial in Oakland, California.
The trial, which began on April 27, centers on Musk's suit seeking roughly $134 billion to $150 billion and asks courts to reverse OpenAI's 2019 shift toward a for‑profit arm, court filings show.
Prediction‑market traders on Kalshi put Musk's chance of prevailing at about 40%, and OpenAI has called the lawsuit baseless, traders and OpenAI said.
Musk co‑founded OpenAI in 2015, left the board in 2018, and donated roughly $38 million to the company, according to court filings and testimony.
A nine‑person jury will serve in an advisory role and Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who was appointed in 2011, will issue the final ruling, court documents say.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as a mix of personal drama and legal stakes, emphasizing secrecy and potential conflicts of interest. Editorial choices—loaded terms like "secret" and "awkward testimony," selection of Zilis’s emotional courtroom moments and the Business Insider revelation, and leading with the relationship before legal claims—shape a narrative of scandal and scrutiny.