OpenAI Claims Musk Had Covert Liaison Feeding Him Info
Trial messages reveal Shivon Zilis allegedly served as a secret intermediary between Musk and OpenAI.
The Musk v. Altman trial just got spicier. OpenAI's lawyers allege that Shivon Zilis — longtime Musk employee and mother of four of his children — served as a covert liaison between Elon Musk and the AI company.
Messages presented at trial reportedly show Zilis acting as an intermediary, channeling communications between Musk and OpenAI. The revelation adds a deeply personal dimension to what's already one of tech's messiest legal battles.
Zilis has long been a figure in Musk's orbit, working across his ventures. Her dual connection — professional ties to Musk and apparent back-channel access to OpenAI — is now a central thread in the courtroom drama.
OpenAI's legal team is using the evidence to paint a picture of Musk maintaining covert influence over the organization he's been publicly warring with. The trial continues.