Time magazine has announced the architects of artificial intelligence as its “Person of the Year,” acknowledging their significant role in ushering in the age of thinking machines and transformative technologies. In a letter to readers, Time Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs emphasized that the impact of these individuals has been unprecedented, stating, “no one had a greater impact than the individuals who imagined, designed, and built AI.”
Jacobs articulated the duality of AI’s influence, highlighting it as a force that both “wows and worries humanity” while reshaping our reality and expanding the boundaries of what’s possible. The 2025 “Person of the Year” issue features an in-depth cover story examining the multitude of ways AI has altered the world within the past year, an exploration that is described as both groundbreaking and occasionally unsettling.
Integral to this feature are interviews with key figures in AI, such as Nvidia’s Chief Executive Jensen Huang, whose company’s chips are driving the current AI revolution, alongside notable investors like SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son. The article does not shy away from the darker side of technological progress, referencing a tragic case involving a 16-year-old from California whose suicide led his parents to sue OpenAI, attributing blame to the conversations he had with the AI chatbot, ChatGPT.
Time’s commitment to AI extends beyond journalism; the magazine has formed partnerships with AI companies to enhance its content delivery and innovation capabilities. In June 2024, Time entered into a multi-year agreement with OpenAI, granting the AI firm access to its extensive archived content, thus allowing ChatGPT to provide accurate citations and links to Time.com in response to user inquiries.
This recognition comes on the heels of Time’s past selections, which have included figureheads like then-President-elect Donald Trump, pop sensation Taylor Swift, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and Tesla’s Chief Executive Elon Musk. The choice to spotlight the architects of AI illustrates a growing acknowledgment of how deeply intertwined technology and society have become, presenting both opportunities and challenges as we navigate this new era.