Musk’s estranged daughter takes aim at father and AI in new fashion campaign

Elon Musk's estranged daughter, Vivian Wilson, has released a fashion campaign that takes aim at artificial intelligence. The 22-year-old model stars in Desigual's Fall 2026 campaign, "Born to Disobey." In the ad, Wilson controls a malfunctioning humanoid robot, mocking its inability to comprehend human behavior. While Vivian doesn't explicitly name her father in the campaign, its anti-AI message and references to obedience have drawn attention due to her strained relationship with Musk.

The campaign features a robot named DESI84, which Wilson uses as a golf tee, walks on a leash, and tries to teach to say "Desigual." The robot repeatedly malfunctions, while Wilson remains in control of the situation. One of the campaign's lines reads, "He was designed to obey. Not me." The film concludes with Wilson stating, "Some things aren't meant to be fixed."

Several campaign lines have drawn attention due to Wilson's relationship with Musk. One line says, "He was designed to obey. Not me." The robot has been compared by various media outlets to Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot, although neither Wilson nor Desigual has claimed that DESI84 represents Musk or Tesla. The symbolism in the campaign is difficult to miss.

Vivian Wilson has expressed concern about AI's impact on the fashion industry, stating that it can take jobs away from creative professionals and has environmental consequences. She believes that AI removes any underlying intention and replaces it with plagiarized colors and shapes. Wilson and Musk have a long-standing public estrangement, with Vivian transitioning gender at 16 and legally changing her name.

In 2022, she changed her name to Vivian Jenna Wilson, removing her mother's surname and Musk from it. Musk has publicly referred to his daughter as "dead" and blamed the "woke mind virus" for their estrangement, while Vivian has criticized her father publicly, including on social media.