Michaela
Major American news publication, Time Magazine, has named the “Architects of AI” as its 2025 Person of the Year, spotlighting the innovators shaping the technology that is transforming how we live, work, and interact.
Key Points
- Time Magazine named the “Architects of AI” as 2025 Person of the Year for their profound impact on technology and society.
- Two illustrated covers highlight AI leaders and the duality of man versus machine.
- The recognition sparks conversation on ethics, accountability, and societal consequences of AI.
“This is the year we feel like the people who were designing, imagining and building artificial intelligence stopped debating about how to create this technology and started racing to deploy it, and there are enormous consequences for society,” Sam Jacobs, Time Editor-in-Chief told Craig Melvin and Savannah Guthrie on TODAY. Jacobs further compared the current AI landscape to the Gilded Age, noting that few individuals now hold unprecedented power. Time Magazine’s cover story spotlights both the prominent figures promoting AI and the behind-the-scenes innovators shaping its development.
For its 2025 Person of the Year issue, Time released two illustrated covers featuring leading figures in tech and AI. Time creative director D.W. Pine explained that each artist captured the duality of AI, man versus machine. The first cover, by digital painter Jason Seiler, pays homage to the iconic 1932 “Lunch atop a Skyscraper” photo, depicting leaders including Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, xAI’s Elon Musk, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman.
The second cover, created by illustrator and animator Peter Crowther, shows a scaffolding structure featuring figures such as Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, and AMD’s Lisa Su.
Related: No Humans Allowed: Moltbook is a New Social Platform Exclusive for AI Bots
The “Architects of AI” succeeds last year’s Person of the Year, President Donald Trump, who has been influential in shaping AI policy. Recently, Trump proposed an executive order to prevent states from implementing their own AI regulations, promoting a “One Rule” approach intended to strengthen U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence.
Time’s Person of the Year offers a lens on the forces that defined the past year, emphasizing influence rather than popularity. It spotlights those whose actions, innovations, or ideas have sparked widespread change, set trends, or shifted global conversations. The feature also serves as a cultural and historical record, showing how individuals or groups can shape politics, technology, society, and daily life.
Related: First AI Rivalry, Now Altman Targets Elon’s X
As AI continues to expand into nearly every corner of daily life, the recognition of the “Architects of AI” shines light on a pivotal moment: the technology is no longer a distant possibility, but a present force shaping work, education, creativity, and society at large.
By spotlighting the innovators behind these systems, Time draws attention to the profound responsibility that comes with creating tools capable of reshaping human experience. The designation encourages a broader conversation about accountability, ethics, and the societal impact of AI, reminding us that while these architects design the technology, the world collectively navigates its consequences.
Frequently Asked Questions
MICHAELA
Michaela is a news writer focused on cryptocurrency and blockchain topics. She prioritizes rigorous research and accuracy to uncover interesting angles and ensure engaging reporting. A lifelong book lover, she applies her passion for reading to deeply explore the constantly evolving crypto world.
