TIME Magazine has unveiled its prestigious 'TIME100 Most Influential People in AI 2024' list, highlighting the leading figures shaping the artificial intelligence arena worldwide. The list also includes several prominent Indians. Notable names in the list include Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang among others. Key Indian figures featured are Union Railways and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys, and actor Anil Kapoor, recognised for their significant contributions to AI and technology.
The 2024 TIME100 AI issue features a global cover with a photo illustration by Klawe Rzeczy for TIME, showcasing 18 influential figures from the list. Among those featured on the cover are Lisa Su, CEO of AMD; Steve Huffman, CEO of Reddit; Arthur Mensch of Mistral AI; Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA; and Amba Kak from the AI Now Institute. The cover also includes renowned actor Scarlett Johansson and other influential personalities recognised for their impact on AI innovation and leadership.
List of 15 Indians and Indian descendants in TIME100 AI list 2024
- Sundar Pichai: CEO, Google and Alphabet
- Satya Nadella: CEO, Microsoft
- Nandan Nilekani: Co-founder, Infosys and co-founder & chairman, EkStep
- Ashwini Vaishnaw: Minister of Electronics and Information Technology and Railways
- Anil Kapoor: Bollywood actor
- Aravind Srinivas: CEO, Perplexity
- Rohit Prasad: SVP and head scientist of AGI, Amazon
- Amandeep Singh Gill: UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Technology
- Vinod Khosla: Founder, Khosla Ventures
- Anant Vijay Singh: Product Lead at Proton
- Divya Siddarth: Co-founder, Collective Intelligence Project
- Shiv Rao: Co-founder and CEO, Abridge
- Arati Prabhakar: Director, US Office of Science and Technology Policy
- Amba Kak: Co-executive Director, AI Now Institute
- Dwarkesh Patel: Host, Dwarkesh Podcast
TIME Magazine on Ashwini Vaishnaw
Highlighting the influence of Indian Railways and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, TIME magazine noted that under his leadership, India aspires to become one of the top five nations in semiconductor manufacturing within the next five years. Semiconductors are a crucial component for modern AI systems, and Vaishnaw's efforts are seen as pivotal in advancing India's position in the global technology landscape. "Construction has begun on several factories. Yet, Vaishnaw faces significant challenges in realizing these ambitions. India's tech sector struggles with low private R&D investment and a lack of advanced manufacturing ecosystems. Its educational system is also catching up to produce the specialized workforce needed for cutting-edge AI and semiconductor development," the magazine wrote.
TIME Magazine on Anil Kapoor
The 'TIME100 Most Influential People in AI 2024' list also recognises Anant Vijay Singh, Product Lead at Proton, and Rohit Prasad, Senior Vice President and Head Scientist of Artificial General Intelligence at Amazon, for their significant contributions to the AI field. Actor Anil Kapoor also made the list, with TIME commending him for his "landmark victory" in the New Delhi High Court in September, where he won a case against the unauthorised AI use of his likeness. "Kapoor's victory has set a precedent, paving the way for others to seek legal protection for their personality rights against misuse by artificial intelligence, marking a significant moment in the fight for digital and personality rights in the AI era," the magazine added.
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