Tech tycoon Elon Musk recently welcomed his 12th child, joining his already large family. Bloomberg reported the baby’s arrival, thrusting Musk’s views on population decline back into the spotlight.
The child is Musk’s third with Shivon Zilis, director of operations and special projects at Neuralink, a neurotechnology company Musk co-founded. While details surrounding the baby’s name and gender remain undisclosed, Musk refuted claims that the birth was kept secret.
“As for ‘secretly fathered,’ that is also false,” Musk told Page Six. “All our friends and family know. Failure to issue a press release, which would be bizarre, does not mean ‘secret.'”
This quiet arrival follows Musk and Zilis’s birth of twins in November 2021. Musk also shares children with musician Grimes, including a daughter born via surrogate in late 2021. Grimes and Musk are reportedly embroiled in a lawsuit regarding custody of their three children.
The news of Musk’s 12th child coincides with a Bloomberg article titled “Elon Wants You To Have More Babies,” highlighting his concerns about declining birth rates. Musk has been vocal about his belief that a shrinking population poses a significant threat to humanity’s future.
“Many countries are already well below replacement rate, and the trend is that almost all will be,” Musk stated to Page Six. “This is simply a fact, not a ‘debunked theory.'”
A replacement rate refers to the number of children a couple needs to have to replace themselves in the population. This number is typically around 2.1 children per couple. According to the World Bank, the global fertility rate in 2021 was 2.3, but many developed nations fall well below that benchmark.
Musk’s stance on birth rates has sparked debate. Some agree with his assessment, fearing a decline in the workforce and economic stagnation. Others argue that environmental concerns and resource limitations necessitate population control.
While Musk advocates for increased births, his family planning choices have drawn criticism for focusing on quantity over quality. The complexities of raising a large blended family, along with ongoing legal battles regarding child custody, raise questions about the stability of his home life.
It remains to be seen how Musk’s personal life choices and business ventures will ultimately impact the world’s population trends. However, his focus on this contentious issue ensures that it will continue to be a topic of discussion.