Explore the full archive of TIME, a century of journalism, insight, and perspective, with AI that helps you research, connect ideas, and uncover stories across every era and topic. Show me how TIME has reported on social media across the decades, then summarize how the coverage has evolved, then make English and Mandarin audio versions.

On Thursday, investors found one more thing to worry about: a potential magazine-cover curse. Before the opening bell rang out on Wall Street, Time magazine announced its selection for person of the year.

Time has announced that the “architects of AI” are its Person of the Year. Certainly, AI is wrapping up an extraordinary year, and many AI business executives have become household names.

Although AI lost out this year, if it ever delivers on the promises its creators keep making, who knows, it might take the title next time. If it achieves the god-like status that the most AGI-pilled accelerationists insist is coming, it could be crowned the last “Person of the Year” ever.

We recognize a force that has dominated the year’s headlines, for better or for worse,” editor in chief Sam Jacobs writes in explaining the magazine’s choice.

Time magazine has unveiled its 2025 Person of the Year: The architects of artificial intelligence. The magazine has bestowed its Person of the Year title annually since 1927, though it was formally called Man of the Year (or Woman of the Year) until 1999.

Time Magazine announced Time's person of the year 2025, but who is Architects of AI? Here's what to know about the cover and who was named

Several social media users reminded frustrated critics that the annual title has never been an endorsement of its recipient.