Why did Time Magazine's "AI Creator" choose Robin Li from Baidu?

On December 11 local time, TIME magazine announced that "the architects of AI" were selected as the Person of the Year for 2025.

As a top global media outlet, TIME has been extremely accurate in capturing the waves of change in global technology and economy. Over the past 40 years, TIME has predicted the rise and transformation of the internet and mobile internet eras. Its "Person of the Year" selection carries significant historical and socially recognized value, representing, to some extent, the choice of the global mainstream media.

This year, the nearly century-old honor was officially awarded to the thinkers, entrepreneurs, and builders shaping the AI era.

Among the interviewees, Robin Li, founder and CEO of $Baidu(BIDU.US), stood out.

This is not the first time he has been recognized by TIME—he appeared on the cover in 2018. But this time, the significance is even more profound—it not only represents the voice of Chinese AI but also signifies China's emergence as an undeniable force in the global AI race.

The Chinese Voice in Person of the Year

In addition to publishing an article, TIME also released a video introducing "the architects"—Jensen Huang, Masayoshi Son, and Robin Li—and how they use AI in their daily lives.

Humanity is entering a new era defined by artificial intelligence, and these individuals are its architects. TIME editor-in-chief Sam Jacobs holds AI in high regard. He even wrote in an editorial: "No matter the question, AI is the answer."

Notably, while the cover still predominantly features American figures, TIME's coverage acknowledges that China's presence in the global AI landscape can no longer be ignored.

Especially in the surging tide of AI, Chinese companies, leveraging their deep understanding of AI and unique domestic resource advantages, have become one of the strongest forces in the global AI landscape.

In this cover story, the convergence of various voices paints a fair picture of the different development paths of AI worldwide. As Robin Li stated in the interview, 2025 is a pivotal year for the widespread adoption of AI, and the U.S. and China each have their own distinct AI development paths.

Li pointed out that, unlike the mainstream U.S. tech industry's heavy investment in AGI (Artificial General Intelligence), China focuses more on applications and possesses AI application scenarios that are hard to find elsewhere in the world. It is under these advantageous conditions that AI companies like Baidu are exploring a differentiated path driven by "application-first" strategies.

TIME Chose Robin Li

In fact, China's exploration and accumulation in the foundational areas of AI began long ago. Robin Li himself took AI courses at Peking University and Tsinghua University as early as the 1990s, gaining exposure to the field before most others.

Baidu, under Li's leadership, began its serious investment in AI around 2012.

At the time, Baidu discovered that machine learning, a branch of AI, was beginning to play a role in search result rankings, prompting increased investment in AI. Back then, Baidu's image recognition accuracy far surpassed that of previous-generation technologies, leading them to recognize the importance of deep learning and subsequently invest heavily in AI. In 2013, Baidu established the Institute of Deep Learning (IDL) in Silicon Valley, becoming one of the first Chinese internet companies to systematically lay out AI research. At the time, apart from academic institutions like Stanford University, only four global tech giants—Baidu, IBM, Google, and Microsoft—had dedicated research institutions in this field.

In 2016, Baidu launched "Baidu Brain" and the "PaddlePaddle" deep learning platform, early blueprints for future AI models and AI-powered industrial applications. Over the next decade, Baidu deepened its efforts in various directions, and by 2024, it had achieved comprehensive deployment in areas such as self-developed chips, autonomous vehicles, digital humans, foundational large models, algorithm architectures, production applications, and intelligent cloud services, becoming one of the few domestic companies with full-stack AI R&D capabilities.

Sustained investment has earned Baidu international recognition. In 2018, it graced the cover of TIME. In September 2023, Robin Li was named to TIME's inaugural "100 Most Influential People in AI" list, alongside Elon Musk, Jensen Huang, and Sam Altman, as a "Global AI Leader." TIME praised him as "China's most outstanding futurist, long committed to the wave of AI development."

In May 2024, Baidu was named to TIME's "100 Most Influential Companies" list, the only Chinese company to be ranked as a "Global Leader." These honors attest to Baidu's rise in the global AI landscape.

Currently, Baidu's strategy is to adhere to an "application-driven" approach. Li predicts that the AI field will eventually be dominated by a few foundational models, but at the application layer, there will be many successful participants across various directions.

"I believe that's where the most opportunities lie," Li said.

The Global Value of China's Path

Robin Li's choice of an "application-driven" strategy is no accident but is based on a deep understanding of China's unique advantages. China boasts the world's most complete industrial system, the largest consumer market, and the most complex and efficient supply chain network. These conditions dictate that AI technological exploration must serve practical scenarios and needs, iterating and upgrading through applications.

Li also recognizes the unique advantages of Chinese companies. He believes China has abundant application scenarios that are hard to find even in the U.S. Others may not yet see where the demand lies. "We need to solve these problems. That's where value is created," he said.

This mindset has also guided Baidu's comprehensive breakthroughs in full-stack AI R&D, autonomous driving, and AI applications.

In 2017, Baidu launched the Apollo autonomous driving platform, the world's first open-source autonomous driving solution for developers. Today, Apollo's autonomous taxis have become a leading global provider of autonomous mobility services, with over 17 million cumulative service orders as of November 2025—a feat few can match worldwide.

In 2018, Baidu introduced its first full-featured cloud AI chip, "Kunlun," completing the domestic chip segment of its AI R&D matrix and making Baidu the only Chinese company capable of providing full-stack AI capabilities, from chip design to deep learning frameworks and application layers.

In 2019, Baidu released China's first large model, "ERNIE," and comprehensively restructured its products using AI capabilities, launching applications in no-code generation, digital humans, and other fields, further integrating its existing businesses and revamping services like search，文库， and 网盘。

Since the launch of ERNIE, Baidu's cumulative investment in AI has exceeded 100 billion yuan. Financial reports show that in Q3 2025, Baidu's AI business performed strongly, growing over 50% year-on-year and becoming one of the core drivers of its results. AI cloud revenue grew 33% YoY; AI application revenue reached 2.6 billion yuan; and AI-native marketing service revenue surged 262% YoY to 2.8 billion yuan. Today, Baidu increasingly resembles a "native AI company."

Of course, the current AI industry chain does not represent the future. In TIME's interview, even Robin Li admitted he could not predict AI technology a decade from now.

However, on the flip side of uncertainty lies the multiple development possibilities for Baidu and Chinese tech in the global competitive landscape. While some focus on pursuing AGI, Baidu has chosen to refine AI technology based on real-world needs and scenarios.

This may well be China's significant contribution to the global AI field.

Conclusion

TIME's selection of "the architects of AI" as Person of the Year represents the sweeping force shaping our era. Robin Li's inclusion symbolizes China's emergence as an undeniable participant in this global race.

In the AI wave, China is no longer just a follower but an explorer and frontrunner charting alternative possibilities. Chinese technology and the values it represents have become an indispensable pole in the multipolar global AI landscape.

This is TIME's recognition—and the choice of the times.