Time Magazine has named the “architects of AI” as its 2025 Person of the Year, highlighting the most influential figures shaping artificial intelligence today. Leaders such as Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, X owner Elon Musk, and AI expert Fei-Fei Li feature on one of the magazine’s covers, reflecting the technology’s rapid societal impact.
AI’s growth surged after OpenAI launched ChatGPT in late 2022, with CEO Sam Altman revealing that about 800 million people use the chatbot weekly. Major tech companies are now investing billions in AI and the supporting infrastructure to maintain their competitive edge.
Time released two covers this year: one artistic depiction of the letters “AI” surrounded by workers, and another focusing on the tech leaders themselves. Alongside Huang, Zuckerberg, Musk, and Li, the cover includes Lisa Su of AMD, Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, and Google AI lead Sir Demis Hassabis.
Time emphasized that 2025 saw a shift from debating AI responsibility to a race for rapid deployment. Editor-in-chief Sam Jacobs noted, “No one had as great an impact this year as the individuals who imagined, designed, and built AI. Humanity will determine AI’s path forward, and each of us can play a role.”
Analysts say AI is now embedded in everyday life, often unnoticed. Forrester’s Thomas Husson described 2025 as a “tipping point,” with AI integrated into hardware, software, and services faster than the internet or mobile revolutions. Many consumers now rely on AI chatbots over traditional search engines for tasks like holiday planning or gift ideas. Yet concerns remain about energy use, data handling, and job displacement.
Nik Kairinos, founder of Fountech AI, called the recognition “an honest assessment” of AI’s influence but warned that readiness is crucial. He stressed that AI could either benefit or harm humanity and that responsible development is vital.
