Chinese AI leaders shine on Time's 2025 list

Recently, TIME magazine revealed its "Time 100 AI 2025" list, highlighting the most influential leaders in artificial intelligence worldwide. Peng Jun, CEO of Nansha-based autonomous driving firm Pony.ai, was the sole representative from the self-driving sector and was celebrated as a pioneer in the autonomous driving revolution.

Under Peng's leadership, Pony.ai aims to expand the commercial use of L4 autonomous driving technology, with a target to operate 1,000 robotaxis by 2025.

Along with Peng, other Chinese tech figures like Liang Wenfeng, CEO of DeepSeek, and Wang Xingxing, CEO of Unitree Robotics, were also included on the list. This highlights China's expanding global influence in AI applications and innovative research. Liang was acknowledged for his work on open-source large-scale models such as DeepSeek-V3, whereas Wang was recognized for his company's leading role in the robotics industry.

Since its launch in 2023, TIME's list has celebrated the most influential figures in global AI. Over the past three years, only two autonomous driving leaders have been featured, reflecting the industry's significant technical challenges and growing international acknowledgment. The notable number of Chinese entrepreneurs on this year's list emphasizes China's emergence as a global leader in key AI areas like autonomous driving, large models, and robotics.

Robotaxi. [Photo/WeChat account: gz_nanshafabu]