Artificial intelligence is currently leading the pack in the race for TIME's 2025 Person of the Year, holding a 36% chance, according to Polymarket.
Following AI are NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang at 24%, Pope Leo XIV at 15%, and former President Donald Trump at 7%. Elon Musk trails with just a 2% chance, despite his previous high-profile public influence.
Other notable names include Sam Altman at 6% and Zohran Mamdani at 3%.
The leading candidates show that it's not just humans shaping global influence; it can also be technology.
Can AI Truly Be TIME's Person of the Year?
Interestingly, TIME magazine has historically named both individuals and abstract concepts as Person of the Year, like 'The Computer' in 1982.
The concept of AI being chosen may continue this tradition, especially since TIME has been recognising that ideas can also influence society, like how AI impacts all industries today.
Although AI cannot accept the award itself, the recognition would be symbolic.
Why AI Has the Best Odds
Prediction markets suggest AI is ahead for several reasons.
Even Jensen Huang, the CEO of NVIDIA, has seen 24% odds due to his role in advancing AI hardware and software. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, also benefits indirectly from AI.
Investors and market watchers see AI as both a transformative tool and a cultural phenomenon, capable of changing how people work, communicate, and create. The betting volumes, $808,092 (£658,000) for AI alone, far surpass those for other candidates, indicating strong public interest and perceived likelihood of the selection.
How TIME Chooses Its Person of the Year
TIME evaluates candidates based on their influence over the past year, not necessarily whether that influence is positive. Editors consider public engagement, news coverage, and historical significance.
Besides the usual human figures, TIME has sometimes recognized non-human entities, showing that influence is the main factor. AI's influence and use in healthcare, finance, art, and communications make it a suitable candidate by these standards.
Public polls, social media attention, and economic indicators also play a role in the editorial decision, even if the final selection rests with TIME's editorial board.
Records for TIME Covers
While AI may top the 2025 odds, cultural influence continues to play a major role in TIME's visibility.
Taylor Swift, with less than 1% odds this year, holds the record for the best-selling Time Person of the Year issue of all time. Her 2023 cover sold more copies than any other issue in over a decade.
Meanwhile, former US President Richard Nixon has appeared on Time's cover more than anyone else, with 55 appearances from 1952 to 1994.
These records show that while AI may be at the forefront this year, celebrity and human achievement are still key to the magazine's cultural impact.
When Will TIME Announce The 2025 Person of the Year?
The announcement of TIME's 2025 Person of the Year is expected at the end of December. Whether AI wins the title or a human candidate takes it, the list shows different people in their own industry who have been made a public focus over the impressions they have left.
For now, the attention is on artificial intelligence, which has a 36% chance, making it the most watched contender in the magazine's long history of annual selections.
