The “Architects of AI” have been named Time magazine’s Person of the Year for 2025, marking a pivotal moment when the potential of artificial intelligence has become undeniably apparent. In its announcement on Thursday, Time emphasized that 2025 is the year AI’s influence “roared into view” with no possibility of retreat.
“For delivering the age of thinking machines, for wowing and worrying humanity, for transforming the present and transcending the possible, the Architects of AI are TIME’s 2025 Person of the Year,” the magazine declared in a social media post. This choice highlights the individuals behind AI’s development, rather than the technology itself, a decision that aligns with Time’s historical precedent of recognizing groups and concepts.
Recognizing the Minds Behind AI
Time’s editor-in-chief, Sam Jacobs, explained the rationale behind selecting the people who “imagined, designed, and built AI,” noting that the magazine has previously named not just individuals but also groups and concepts. “We’ve named not just individuals but also groups, more women than our founders could have imagined (though still not enough), and, on rare occasions, a concept: the endangered Earth, in 1988, or the personal computer, in 1982,” Jacobs wrote.
Among the featured tech leaders on one of the magazine’s cover images, reminiscent of the iconic “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper” photograph, are Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, AMD CEO Lisa Su, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Google DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, and AI pioneer Fei-Fei Li. Another cover image creatively depicts scaffolding around the letters “AI,” styled to resemble computer components.
The Economic Impact of AI
The selection of the “Architects of AI” underscores the economic significance of AI, with five of the eight individuals—Musk, Zuckerberg, Huang, Altman, and Su—already billionaires. Their collective fortune is estimated at $870 billion, according to Forbes, much of which has been amassed during the recent AI surge.
Thomas Husson, principal analyst at Forrester, noted the timeliness of Time’s choice. “It made sense for Time to anoint AI because 2025 was the year that it shifted from ‘a novel technology explored by early adopters to one where a critical mass of consumers see it as part of their mainstream lives,'” Husson explained.
AI’s Growing Influence and Concerns
The magazine also highlighted the attendance of AI company CEOs at President Donald Trump’s inauguration at the Capitol this year, signaling the sector’s growing prominence. “This was the year when artificial intelligence’s full potential roared into view, and when it became clear that there will be no turning back or opting out,” Jacobs wrote.
However, the rapid advancement of AI has not been without its critics. Anthony Aguirre, executive director of the Future of Life Institute, expressed concerns about the unchecked development of AI. “Leading AI companies are working feverishly to replace humans in every facet of life, and they’re not being shy about it,” Aguirre warned. “The impact on our society could be catastrophic if there are no guardrails protecting what’s human, and most important to us.”
Historical Context and Future Implications
AI was a leading contender for Time’s top honor, alongside individuals like Jensen Huang and Sam Altman. Other contenders included Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, and political figures such as Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.
Time’s tradition of selecting a Person of the Year dates back to 1927, with the magazine choosing individuals or groups that have significantly influenced headlines over the past year. The magazine, acquired by Salesforce co-founder Marc Benioff in 2018, continues to operate editorially independent, despite Benioff’s personal enthusiasm for AI as a transformative technology.
As AI continues to integrate into everyday life, the recognition of its architects by Time magazine highlights both the technological advancements achieved and the societal challenges that lie ahead. The implications of AI’s rise will undoubtedly continue to shape global discourse in the years to come.
