Elon Musk continues to spark debate over his personal life, revealing new details about his family and offering a glimpse into his views on parenthood. In a recent podcast appearance, the billionaire confirmed that he and Shivon Zilis, a senior operations executive at Neuralink, share three children, bringing the total number of Musk’s publicly acknowledged children to 12. Previously, Reuters had reported in 2021 that the couple had a set of twins, based on court filings.

During the podcast WTF? hosted by Nikhil Kamath, Musk referred to Zilis as his “girlfriend”, indirectly confirming their romantic relationship. This marked the first time Musk publicly spoke about his private life with the tech executive. He also highlighted Zilis’s background, noting that she has Indian ancestry. One of their children carries the middle name Shekhar, honoring Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, the Nobel Prize-winning Indian-American astrophysicist.

To date, Musk and Zilis have four children together: a pair of twin boys, a daughter named Arcadia, and a son named Seldon Lycurgus. The announcement drew attention not only because of the growing size of Musk’s family but also due to Zilis’s prominence in the field of artificial intelligence. A Yale graduate, she previously worked at IBM Research and OpenAI before joining Neuralink, the brain-chip development company co-founded by Musk. Musk’s mother, Maye Musk, has publicly praised Zilis on social media, describing her as intelligent and independent.

Musk has long spoken openly about his belief that declining birth rates represent a major threat to civilization. At 53, he has repeatedly emphasized the importance of having multiple children and often frames his personal family choices within a broader social context. He has stated that he is willing to lead by example by having a large family, a stance that continues to draw both admiration and criticism.

While Musk has shared details about his children and their names, other aspects—such as reproductive methods, gender selection, or exact numbers—remain unconfirmed. Rumors have circulated online suggesting he may have more than 14 children or that he has used embryo selection techniques, but no official sources have verified these claims.

Public records indicate that Musk has children with three women: his first wife, Justine Musk, musician Grimes, and Shivon Zilis. His children’s ages range from newborns to early twenties, reflecting a wide span of life stages.

The discussion of Musk’s family life inevitably intersects with his broader concerns about global population trends. While some applaud his advocacy for larger families as a socially responsible stance, others note the contrast between his personal emphasis on procreation and his companies’ corporate actions, such as Tesla’s and X’s recent mass layoffs. This duality has fueled online debates about Musk’s priorities and the alignment between his personal beliefs and professional practices.

Musk’s comments also shed light on the cultural and intellectual influences shaping his approach to parenthood. By choosing names like Shekhar and referencing prominent scientists, he signals a desire to inspire his children toward innovation and knowledge. At the same time, his open acknowledgment of Zilis as his girlfriend marks a rare public glimpse into his romantic life, which has traditionally been shrouded in privacy.

The public reaction to Musk’s revelations has been mixed. Many express curiosity and admiration for his ability to juggle personal and professional ambitions, while others question the optics of a billionaire promoting large families amid corporate downsizing. Social media has amplified these discussions, turning even the smallest personal disclosure into a global conversation.

Despite the ongoing debates, the majority of recent information about Musk’s family comes directly from him, highlighting his preference for controlling the narrative. By speaking openly in podcasts and interviews, Musk continues to generate attention not only for his technological ventures but also for his family choices and personal philosophies.

In conclusion, Elon Musk’s confirmation of his relationship with Shivon Zilis and the expansion of his family offers a multifaceted view into the billionaire’s life. It touches on love, family, cultural heritage, scientific inspiration, and social responsibility. While the public remains fascinated by the details of his private life, Musk uses these disclosures to reinforce his broader worldview—emphasizing the importance of having children, addressing global population concerns, and blending personal values with public influence.

As Musk’s family grows, so too does the discussion surrounding the ethical, social, and cultural implications of his choices, keeping global attention firmly fixed on both the personal and professional dimensions of one of the world’s most prominent figures.