In a notable announcement from New York, Time magazine has honored the “Architects of AI” as the Person of the Year for 2025. This recognition underscores the pivotal role artificial intelligence has played in shaping the current era, marking a point of no return in its evolution.

Time magazine emphasized that 2025 stands out as the year when AI’s vast potential became undeniably apparent, influencing every aspect of life. “For ushering in the age of thinking machines, for both amazing and alarming the world, and for reshaping the present while surpassing what we thought was possible, the Architects of AI have been chosen as TIME’s 2025 Person of the Year,” the magazine announced via social media.

This decision was intentional in celebrating the visionaries behind the technology—the individuals who conceptualized, designed, and brought AI to life—rather than the technology itself. This choice aligns with Time’s tradition of occasionally recognizing groups or concepts, rather than just singular figures.

Sam Jacobs, the editor-in-chief, elaborated on this decision, noting, “We have recognized not only individuals but also groups, and notably more women than our founders could have envisaged, albeit still not enough. On rare occasions, we’ve honored concepts: the endangered earth in 1988 or the personal computer in 1982.” He also reflected on past controversies, such as the decision to name the personal computer over Apple’s Steve Jobs, a choice that later inspired books and a movie.

“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,” wrote Sam Jacobs, the editor-in-chief, in an explanation of the choice. “The drama surrounding the selection of the PC over Apple’s Steve Jobs later became the stuff of books and a movie.”

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,” Thomas Husson, principal analyst at research firm Forrester, said by email.

AI was a leading contender for the top slot, according to prediction markets, along with tech CEOs Jensen Huang of Nvidia and Sam Altman of OpenAI. Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope whose election this year followed the death of Pope Francis, was also considered a contender, with President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani topping lists as well.

Trump was named the 2024 person of the year by the magazine after his winning his second bid for the White House, succeeding Taylor Swift, who was the 2023 person of the year.

The magazine’s selection dates from 1927, when its editors have picked the person they say most shaped headlines over the previous 12 months.