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They are the architects of a new era, shaping the invisible intelligence that is steadily weaving into the fabric of everyday life. Their influence is felt in the devices we hold, the platforms we rely on, and in the way businesses and governments imagine the future. Vision and ambition drive them to push boundaries, whether through the design of world-changing chips, the creation of immersive digital worlds, or the AI systems that learn and adapt at unmatched speed. Each move they make alters the balance of power in technology, setting the stage for what tomorrow looks like. (Representational Image: Pixabay)
2 / 17Yet the story of these personalities is not only about innovation, its about responsibility. They stand at the centre of debates on trust, ethics, and the human cost of progress, carrying the weight of both excitement and anxiety that AI brings. Their choices can democratise opportunity or deepen divides, spark creativity or sow confusion, protect freedom or endanger them. In many ways, they are both pioneers and gatekeepers, ensuring that as AI races ahead, it does not outrun the values and safeguards society depends on. Meet 15 top innovators, leaders, and thinkers reshaping our world through groundbreaking advances in artificial intelligence, according to TIME100 AI 2025.
3 / 17No 1. Matthew Prince | Co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare, he moved quickly to block AI crawler bots that were siphoning traffic from news and media sites. His actions positioned him as a strong defender of original content creators in the digital age. (Image: X)
4 / 17No 2. Elon Musk | Founder of xAI and co-founder of OpenAI, Musk continues to influence AI’s direction through both his ventures and outspoken advocacy. He remains one of the most controversial yet impactful figures in shaping the future of artificial intelligence. (Image: Reuters)
5 / 173. Sam Altman | As CEO of OpenAI, he has steered the company into a global AI powerhouse by building political influence and scaling infrastructure. His leadership is central to OpenAI’s dominance in the AI ecosystem. (Image: Shutterstock)
6 / 17No 4. Jensen Huang | The CEO of Nvidia, he turned GPUs into the essential hardware powering the AI revolution. His ability to navigate global politics and secure massive infrastructure deals has kept Nvidia at the centre of the AI boom. (Image: AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying, File)
7 / 17No 5. Fidji Simo | CEO of Applications at OpenAI, she focuses on scaling AI products and making them commercially viable. Her experience at Instacart and Meta gives her a unique mix of operational strength and product vision. (Image: Reuters)
8 / 17No 6. Mark Zuckerberg | As Founder and CEO of Meta, he continues to push AI technologies into social platforms and the metaverse. His influence ensures that billions of people interact with AI daily, often without realising it.
9 / 17No 7. Andy Jassy | President and CEO of Amazon, Jassy is embedding AI throughout the company’s operations, from foundational models to robotics. His leadership is shaping Amazon into one of the most AI-driven businesses in the world. (Image: Reuters/Mike Blake)
10 / 17No 8. Allie K. Miller | CEO of Open Machine, she is leading efforts to build practical, user-focused AI tools. Her work places her among the rising new leaders bringing AI closer to everyday users. (Image: Instagram)
11 / 17No 9. Dario Amodei | Co-founder and CEO of Anthropic, he is focused on building safe, aligned AI systems. His company has become central to the global discussion on responsible AI development.
12 / 17No 10. Strive Masiyiwa | Founder and Executive Chairman of Cassava Technologies, he is driving AI and digital transformation across Africa. His efforts are expanding access to technology in emerging markets. (Image: Reuters)
13 / 17No 11. Cristiano Amon | President and CEO of Qualcomm, he is pushing AI capabilities into mobile and edge computing devices. His work ensures AI is seamlessly integrated into everyday consumer technology.
14 / 17No 12. Liang Wenfeng | As CEO of DeepSeek, he is advancing AI applications in search and personalised recommendations. His leadership is strengthening AI’s role in making information discovery more intelligent. (Image: Shutterstock)
15 / 1713. Alexandr Wang and Nat Friedman | Co-leaders of Meta’s Superintelligence Lab, they are driving research into the future of advanced AI systems. Their work positions Meta at the forefront of AI’s next phase.
16 / 17No 14. Ravi Kumar S | CEO of Cognizant, he champions the idea of the “sentient enterprise,” where AI and humans collaborate in dynamic, adaptive systems. He has launched platforms like Agent Foundry and Synapse to democratise AI expertise and scale generative AI adoption.
17 / 17No 15. C. C. Wei | Chairman and CEO of TSMC, he leads the world’s leading semiconductor company that underpins global AI innovation. His role is critical in ensuring the hardware foundations of the AI ecosystem remain strong. (Image: Reuters)
