Anil Kapoor gets featured on TIME Magazine's AI cover. 'Is this a joke,' asks internet

Many expressed surprise at the omission of some major names in AI, particularly Sam Altman.

TIME magazine's release of its "100 Most Influential People in AI 2024" list generated considerable discussion, not only for the diverse figures recognised but also for its cover, which has drawn unexpected attention. While technology heavyweights like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and Google’s Sundar Pichai made the list, their absence from the cover surprised many. Instead, Indian actor Anil Kapoor, Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson, YouTuber Marques Brownlee, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang were featured prominently.

The annual list, which was categorised into "Leaders," "Innovators," "Shapers," and "Thinkers," showcased individuals who are playing a key role in shaping the future of artificial intelligence. Yet, it was the composition of the cover that triggered extensive online reactions. Many expressed surprise at the omission of some major names in AI, particularly Sam Altman, whose company OpenAI has led the AI revolution with its development of ChatGPT.

TIME's new cover: The 100 most influential people in AI https://t.co/P81KOzsSlC pic.twitter.com/mjUT1UUx26
TIME (@TIME) September 5, 2024

Several users took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to share their thoughts. One user remarked, "Having a TIME 100 AI cover without Sam or Elon or Ilya but having Anil Kapoor and ScarJo is basically the AI version of MBA rankings that puts Chicago Booth on top for some reason no one cares about." Another user stated, "Scarlett Johansson is definitely more influential than Sam Altman when it comes to generative AI: Said no one. Ever."

The inclusion of Anil Kapoor, whose connection to the AI space is less clear, also prompted questions. "Why is Anil Kapoor (Indian actor) on the front page?" questioned a user. In a similar vein, a user asked, “How in the world do you do a cover on the hundred most important people in AI and not have Sam Altman?”

"Is this satire? I can’t really tell," a user quipped. Another user added, "No Elon, no Sam Altman, no Andrej, no Ilya. What a joke cover."