Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs said the decision reflects the extraordinary influence of those who imagined, built, and refined the technology that is now transforming daily life.
In a letter to readers, Jacobs wrote that these architects are “wowing and worrying humanity,” describing AI as a force that is reshaping the present while pushing the boundaries of what is possible. The magazine’s annual issue examines how AI altered the world over the past year in new and sometimes unsettling ways.
The edition includes interviews with key industry figures, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, whose company’s chips drive much of the global AI expansion, and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, one of the technology’s largest investors. The coverage also addresses darker concerns around AI, such as the case of a 16-year-old Californian who died by suicide, leading his parents to file a lawsuit against OpenAI over alleged harms linked to his interactions with a chatbot.
Time has increasingly engaged with AI companies in recent years. In June 2024, it reached a multi-year agreement allowing OpenAI to access its archival content, enabling the chatbot to cite and link back to Time articles in its responses.
This year’s recognition follows previous selections such as Donald Trump in 2024 and 2016, Taylor Swift, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
