My Partner Is Half-Indian: Elon Musk Responds to Racism Claims
Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk has rejected allegations that he is racist, citing the Indian heritage of his partner and the diversity of employees working across his companies.
During an interview with The Economist, Musk was confronted with the statement that some people considered him racist. In response, he said his partner is half-Indian and that they have four children together.
Child Named After Indian Physicist
Musk said one of their children was named in honour of a renowned Indian physicist.
He was referring to his son Strider Sekhar, whose middle name reportedly pays tribute to Nobel Prize-winning Indian-American astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. Chandrasekhar is celebrated for his pioneering work on stellar evolution and the mass limit of white dwarf stars.
Musk’s partner, technology executive Shivon Zilis, has Indian ancestry through her mother. The couple reportedly have four children together.
Musk Points to Diversity at His Companies
Musk further argued that his companies employ senior executives from different racial backgrounds, saying he did not believe racism existed within their leadership structures.
The billionaire was also questioned about accusations that he was anti-Muslim. Rather than directly accepting or rejecting that label, Musk said he opposed people bringing views or laws that conflicted with what he described as established Western values.
Defends Political Influence
The interview also addressed Musk’s involvement in European political debates despite his not living in Europe.
Musk said he viewed Europe and the United States as part of the broader West. When told that his influence and political interventions caused some people to dislike him, he said he did not care and pointed to his large following on X as evidence that many people supported him.
Calls for AI Safety Reviews
Musk also proposed that leading artificial-intelligence companies regularly review one another’s advanced models before public release.
He suggested that major AI firms hold periodic discussions about safety and security risks, with governments intervening when companies fail to address serious concerns identified during reviews.
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