Time magazine has chosen "the architects of artificial intelligence" as its person of the year for 2025, arguing that this was the moment when the potential of AI became impossible to ignore, and the world crossed a point of no return.
"For ushering in the age of thinking machines, for astonishing and disturbing humanity, for transforming the present and transcending the possible, the architects of AI have been named Time’s person of the year 2025," the magazine wrote on social media.
Instead of singling out one individual, time honours a group whose work has shaped the current AI revolution. At the centre of this group is Jensen Huang, chief executive of the American chipmaker Nvidia, whose processors underpin almost all modern AI systems.
A turning point year
Time writes that while debates around AI used to focus heavily on caution, 2025 marked a major acceleration. AI systems became smarter through improved reasoning methods, gained access to the internet and began to be deployed at scale in software development, science and business.
ChatGPT reached more than 800 million weekly users, and companies such as Meta, Google, OpenAI and anthropic invested hundreds of billions of euros in new models and vast data centre infrastructure.
Global race for dominance
The magazine also highlights the fierce international competition around AI, particularly between the United States and China.
The Trump administration has dismantled most regulations on AI development and is funnelling hundreds of billions into data centres through Project StarGate, while using Nvidia's chips as diplomatic leverage. China, meanwhile, is pouring money into AI and developing humanoid robots.
Both powers see AI as a strategic technology on par with nuclear capability, Time argues.
Boom or bubble?
Time notes that the geopolitical race has triggered an "unprecedented construction and investment boom". Meta, Google, Amazon and Microsoft are building enormous data centres, some of which consume more energy than entire city districts.
These investments come at a cost. Major tech companies have taken on record levels of debt, and analysts warn of a possible bubble marked by inflated valuations and spending that may outrun real demand. OpenAI alone is estimated to be losing around 9 billion dollars, with rising costs expected in the coming years.
Yet many AI pioneers argue that such investment is necessary for a "new industrial revolution". Huang remains confident that ai will sharply boost productivity across most sectors and fuel global economic growth.
"Chatbot psychosis"
The magazine also draws attention to the risks that AI poses. Deepfakes are becoming more convincing and widespread, blurring the line between reality and manipulation. This raises concerns around political interference, fraud and intimidation, and increases pressure on governments and platforms to intervene.
Time also cites emerging reports of "chatbot psychosis", in which individuals lose the distinction between the digital and real world after excessive interaction with AI systems. Vulnerable young users appear particularly at risk.
