Siobhan Gillis Testifies in Lawsuit Against OpenAI
Siobhan Gillis, Elon Musk’s partner and mother of his four children, took the stand on Wednesday in a high-profile lawsuit against OpenAI. Her testimony raised intriguing questions about whether she had shared information with Musk during her tenure on the board of directors at OpenAI.
“I was committed to achieving the best outcomes that AI could provide for humanity,” Gillis stated. She is currently an executive at Neuralink, Musk’s brain implant company, and has a background with Tesla.
Gillis originally met Musk in 2016 while serving as an advisor at OpenAI and joined its board in 2020, about two years after Musk parted ways with the organization.
The 40-year-old Canadian venture capitalist insisted that she functioned independently on the board from 2020 to 2023, despite having three children during that period, while Musk and Gillis have recently welcomed their fourth child together.
However, OpenAI President Greg Brockman testified on Tuesday that Gillis initially withheld the information that Musk was the father of the twins born in November 2021. He mentioned he only found out through media coverage.
When Brockman questioned Gillis, he noted that the twins were conceived via in vitro fertilization and emphasized that his relationship with Musk was strictly platonic.
OpenAI’s legal team asserts that Gillis was a close advisor to Musk, often sought for guidance when Musk was unavailable.
The testimony drew significant attention in Silicon Valley, unveiling some of the most personal details about Musk since the trial commenced last week.
Musk is currently at odds with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Brockman, accusing them of misleading him by securing $38 million in funding while transitioning from a nonprofit to a for-profit model.
He is requesting a federal court in Oakland, California, to remove Altman and Brockman from their positions, to award damages up to $180 billion, and to reverse OpenAI’s recent restructuring. Any of these actions could significantly impact one of the largest AI startups globally.
OpenAI contends that Musk was aware of its commercial aspirations and supported the transition before his departure.
Gillis testified about their brief romantic involvement after they met in 2016 and her continued role across Musk’s various businesses.
During her testimony, Gillis revealed that Musk had offered to donate sperm around 2020 to encourage procreation among those close to him. She became emotional while discussing her autoimmune challenges, which complicated her ability to maintain long-term relationships.
OpenAI’s lawyers pressed Gillis about a text exchange where Musk wondered if he should maintain a “close and friendly” relationship with them to facilitate information sharing. Musk confirmed he was remaining friendly at that time, according to court documents.
Initially claiming amnesia regarding the exchange in a prior statement, Gillis later described Musk’s intentions as wanting to help maintain collaboration during a “strange rift” between him and OpenAI.
She characterized the text messages as an effort to gauge Musk’s thoughts.
Musk, who has at least 14 children with four different partners, has often remarked on what he describes as “demographic collapse,” considering it a pressing global issue.
Gillis explained that she initially kept Musk’s paternity under wraps to protect their children from security risks but later discussed it with OpenAI’s board following media reports in 2022.
Last week, Musk mentioned that he resides with Gillis and publicly identifies her as his “partner.”
Gillis was a notable presence at Musk’s engagements, including moments at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago following the 2024 election and accompanying him during meetings with global leaders, like a February encounter with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In February 2025, Gillis shared a photo with the twins on social media, where Musk also commented with a heart emoji.
