TIME’s “Person of the Year” Focuses on Tech Billionaires Instead of Construction Workers
**”Architects of AI”: TIME Magazine’s Controversial 2025 Person of the Year**
In a nod to the individuals steering the artificial intelligence revolution, TIME Magazine has named the “Architects of AI” as its 2025 Person of the Year. This announcement is accompanied by Jason Seiler’s contentious cover illustration, which takes a modern twist on the iconic 1932 photograph “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper.” The original image of construction workers suspended high above Manhattan’s skyline is reimagined with AI industry titans including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Sam Altman, and Lisa Su.
Critics swiftly responded, decrying the illustration as tone-deaf. Where the original photograph honored anonymous workers of the past, TIME’s modern depiction showcases wealthy executives seemingly disconnected from the hands-on labor that underpinned 20th-century progress. Positioned uncomfortably along the beam, the tech leaders appear absorbed in their own worlds, symbolizing the detachment some feel these figures have from the socio-economic impacts of AI advancement.
Online commenters expressed frustration, labeling the cover as a provocative piece that promotes those at the helm of AI without honoring the unsung engineers and scientists who have driven much of the technology’s growth. Some view the piece as a reflection of how the real architects of AI—those who have endlessly coded and innovated—remain overshadowed by the spotlight on corporate figureheads.
TIME’s choice highlights influence, for better or worse, that these individuals exert on global events. As AI becomes integrated into daily life—guiding our GPS, shaping our digital experiences, and influencing both product and policy—the nurture of these technologies by CEOs and industry leaders cannot be denied.
Amid criticisms and conversation sparked by Seiler’s artwork, a deeper question arises: Are we not, both willingly and unwittingly, architects of this AI era ourselves? This collective introspection echoes TIME’s 2006 cover, which declared “You” as Person of the Year. In leveraging our data and digital interactions, we contribute to the machine learning materials that empower AI functionalities today. As the discourse continues, the impact of AI on personal and professional landscapes remains an evolving narrative shaped by the contributions of many, far beyond those featured on the cover.