OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks during a summit in Washington, DC, on March 11, 2026. REUTERS Eddy questioned Zilis on what she meant in a text exchange in which she asked Musk whether she should stay “close and friendly” with OpenAI in order to “keep info flowing.” Musk replied at the time, “Close and friendly,” according to court documents. After claiming in earlier deposition statements that she didn’t recall the exchange, Zilis said Wednesday that Musk and OpenAI were “going through a weird half-breakup” and she wanted to help both parties “maintain max alignment,” a role she had historically played. Zilis explained the text exchange as “just trying to get a read on where his head was at.” Musk – who has had at least 14 children with four different mothers – has frequently said that “population collapse” is one of the top issues facing the world today. Zilis said she initially kept the fact that Musk was the father a secret to protect the children from security threats, but told OpenAI’s board about his paternity after a news story broke in 2022. Musk testified last week that he lives with Zilis, and he has publicly referred to her as his “partner.” When Musk set up shop at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, Fla., residence soon after the 2024 election, Zilis was also a mainstay at the property. She also appeared by Musk’s side during Trump’s January 2025 inauguration. Zilis also joined Musk during a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington, DC, in February of that year. The pair brought along two of their children and Musk’s son X from his previous relationship with pop star Grimes. Also in February 2025, Zilis posted a photo on social media of her with their twins, and Musk posted a heart emoji in the comments. The Post’s owner, News Corp, has a content-licensing deal with OpenAI. Additional reporting by Marc Vartabedian. Filed under