Tech Leaders Recognized for Shaping Modern AI

Time Magazine has selected Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and Lisa Su as global AI visionaries. The publication says these leaders have played major roles in building, expanding, and defining the direction of artificial intelligence. Their influence reaches into daily life, industry, and global innovation.

Sam Altman’s Influence on Generative AI

Sam Altman co-founded OpenAI in 2015. He later launched ChatGPT in 2022. This tool spread quickly across the world and became one of the most widely used AI applications.

ChatGPT assists people in work, education, research, writing, coding, and innovation. It makes advanced AI accessible to ordinary users, not only experts. By early 2025, weekly users were estimated at nearly 400 million. Projections suggest the number may reach 800 million by the end of that year.

Today, OpenAI is valued at more than 500 billion dollars. Time Magazine says Altman helped push AI into a new era.

Mark Zuckerberg and Meta’s Global Reach

Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook in 2004. The platform later expanded by adding Instagram and WhatsApp. Today, more than three billion people use at least one Meta platform every day. This makes Meta one of the largest digital networks in the world.

Meta created Meta AI and integrated it across its platforms. By 2025, Meta AI had become a dedicated division. Over one billion users rely on it each month. Meta has also pledged to invest about 600 billion dollars in AI over the coming years.

Elon Musk’s Expanding AI Ambitions

Elon Musk re-entered the AI race in 2023 by creating xAI. The company later launched Grok, an AI assistant linked to the X platform, which Musk had purchased for 44 billion dollars.

By 2025, Grok had about 64 million monthly users. Its direct connection to real-time social media content gives it unique capabilities compared with competing AI tools.

Musk had previously appeared on Time Magazine’s influential lists. He was recognized for seeking solutions to complex global challenges.

Lisa Su’s Leadership in AI Hardware

Lisa Su, CEO of AMD, received recognition for driving innovation in AI chips. Chips function as the “brain” of digital devices. They allow computers and AI systems to process information and make decisions.

AMD produces AI chips used by major cloud companies. Experts predict the company’s data center business will grow by 80 percent. Analysts expect the global AI chip market to reach one trillion dollars by 2030.

AMD also partners with Microsoft, OpenAI, Meta, and others. The goal is to build energy-efficient data systems that offer faster and more reliable services.

Why Time Magazine Honored These Innovators

Time Magazine’s editor-in-chief, Sam Jacobs, said the annual selection aims to highlight individuals whose work influences the lives of many. He noted that no group has shaped society this year more than the thinkers and builders behind modern AI.

The magazine has honored these leaders before. Zuckerberg was selected in 2010 for transforming global communication. Musk has appeared several times for his attempts to solve major global problems. This year’s recognition marks their continued impact on the future of technology.