• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechElon Musk

Mark Cuban says he asked Elon Musk how many kids he was going to have. Musk’s reported reply? ‘Mars needs people’

By
Erin Prater
Erin Prater
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Erin Prater
Erin Prater
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 17, 2022, 11:45 AM ET
Elon Musk
SpaceX chief Elon Musk answers questions after the 2019 SpaceX Hyperloop Pod competition at the SpaceX headquarters in Los Angeles on July 21, 2019.Mark Ralston—AFP/Getty Images

Elon Musk is known to say that he procreates to populate Mars.

He might not be joking.

On the Thursday edition of the Full Send Podcast, “Shark Tank” billionaire Mark Cuban told of a recent text exchange he had with Musk after the birth of one of his children.

“He had another kid, right? This was before the last three or whatever it was,” Cuban said, likely referring to the three children Musk fathered in 2021, one with musician Grimes, and two with an executive at Neuralink, a brain chip implant firm he owns.

“I’m like, ‘Dude, congratulations, how many you going to have?'” Cuban recalled. “He sends me a text back, ‘Mars needs people.'”

Musk, who periodically tweets his concerns about underpopulation, has nine known children. In June he confirmed that he secretly fathered twins with Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis.

This month his 76-year-old estranged father, Errol Musk, admitted to having another child with his 35-year-old stepdaughter in 2019. He was married to his stepdaughter’s mother for 18 years, according to Business Insider.

“The only thing we are on Earth for is to reproduce,” the elder Musk reportedly said, echoing his son’s sentiments. “If I could have another child, I would. I can’t see any reason not to.”

Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.
About the Author
By Erin Prater
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

AIHousing
An AI-generated version of Trump’s voice is used in ad that promises an ‘all new Fannie Mae’ to tackle housing affordability
By Anne D'Innocenzio and The Associated PressJanuary 18, 2026
2 days ago
typewriter
Future of Worksubscription economy
Meet a 28-year-old Canadian woman who turned her pen-pal side hustle into a subscription side hustle with over 1,000 members
By Cheyanne Mumphrey and The Associated PressJanuary 18, 2026
2 days ago
Photo of Jim Farley
AIData centers
Ford CEO warns there’s a dearth of blue-collar workers able to construct AI data centers and operate factories: ‘Nothing to backfill the ambition’
By Sasha RogelbergJanuary 18, 2026
2 days ago
vian
Commentaryquantum computing
I oversee a lab where engineers try to destroy my life’s work. It’s the only way to prepare for quantum threats
By Bernard VianJanuary 18, 2026
2 days ago
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press, saying he's talking to NATO about Greenland, before he departs the White House en route Palm Beach, Florida on January 16, 2026, in Washington DC, United States.
PoliticsGreenland
The weak business case for Trump acquiring Greenland: a $1 trillion price tag and few returns for two decades
By Jordan BlumJanuary 17, 2026
3 days ago
boardroom
CommentaryCorporate Governance
When AI decides how shareholders vote, boards need to rethink governance
By Jane SadowskyJanuary 17, 2026
3 days ago

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Investing
Stocks sell off globally as traders digest Trump message saying he wants Greenland because ‘your Country decided not to give me the Nobel’ 
By Jim EdwardsJanuary 19, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
AI
Elon Musk says that in 10 to 20 years, work will be optional and money will be irrelevant thanks to AI and robotics
By Sasha RogelbergJanuary 19, 2026
21 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Politics
Army readies 1,500 paratroopers specializing in arctic operations for possible deployment to Minnesota if Trump invokes Insurrection Act
By Konstantin Toropin and The Associated PressJanuary 18, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Politics
The U.S. Supreme Court could throw a wrench into Trump’s plan to take Greenland as soon as Tuesday
By Jim EdwardsJanuary 19, 2026
21 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Making billionaires illegal by taxing their wealth wouldn’t even fund the government for a year, budget expert says
By Nick LichtenbergJanuary 17, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Despite his $2.6 billion net worth, MrBeast says he’s having to borrow cash and doesn’t even have enough money in his bank account to buy McDonald’s
By Emma BurleighJanuary 13, 2026
7 days ago