High Executive Turnover Continues at Musk-Led Firms as xAI’s Top Lawyer Steps Down

Robert Keele, the head of legal at Elon Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI, has resigned after just over a year in the role. Keele cited "differences in worldview" with Musk and a desire to spend more time with his family. His departure adds to a growing list of high-profile exits from Musk-led companies, including X CEO Linda Yaccarino and several Tesla executives.

Executive turnover at Musk's ventures far exceeds industry averages. At Tesla, the annual turnover rate for executives reporting directly to Musk has reached 44%, compared to about 9% at Meta, Amazon, and Netflix. Overall executive churn at Tesla stands at 27%, nearly double the industry norm.

Keele's exit comes as xAI pursues $12 billion in funding for its second data center, despite the company remaining unprofitable. Former NASA engineer Lily Lim has taken over as xAI's top lawyer, bringing a unique blend of technical expertise and legal acumen to the role.