TIME magazine has named the “Architects of AI” as its Person of the Year for 2025.
The announcement was published on 11 December and reflects artificial intelligence’s overwhelming influence on global life.
TIME said 2025 was the year when AI’s potential fully emerged, with no realistic path back.
The magazine praised those who imagined, designed, and built systems now shaping economies, culture, and daily routines.
A familiar but striking choice
This is not the first time TIME has honoured a non-human subject.
Previous selections included the personal computer, Planet Earth, and internet users as a collective force.
Still, the 2025 decision highlights how deeply AI has entered public debate and personal anxiety.
AI dominated headlines this year, raising hopes of progress alongside fears of serious harm.
Cultural and social tension
Creative industries faced intense pressure as AI tools spread into writing, music, and visual art.
Artists and authors warned about lost jobs and unprotected copyrighted material.
Public concern also appeared in dictionary choices capturing the mood of the year.
Terms like “vibe coding”, “parasocial”, and “AI slop” reflected unease about technology’s growing reach.
Impact across society
TIME editor-in-chief Sam Jacobs said no force shaped 2025 more than AI’s creators.
He stressed that Person of the Year reflects impact, whether positive or negative.
Business leaders, parents, and teachers all confronted AI’s influence on work and learning.
Nvidia chief Jensen Huang called AI the most impactful technology of our time.
Risks and consequences
TIME also warned of rising energy use, misinformation, job losses, and concentrated corporate power.
The magazine compared today’s moment to the inequalities of the Gilded Age.
Despite risks, AI companies are now tightly bound to the global economy.
The editors described the future of AI as a gamble with historic consequences.
Photo credit: TIME.com / X screenshot
