Scarlett Johansson makes TIME’s 100 most influential in AI, while Elon Musk's absence sparks debate

Elon Musk, a pioneering figure in artificial intelligence, was conspicuously absent from TIME Magazine’s 2024 list of the "100 Most Influential People in AI."

Meanwhile, actress Scarlett Johansson secured a prominent spot on the cover, alongside major tech figures like NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang. 

The omission of Musk has sparked widespread controversy on social media, with many questioning why the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who recently founded AI firm xAI, was left out of such a significant list.

TIME Magazine’s second annual AI edition, released on September 8, highlighted influential figures from across the industry. Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs explained that the list is meant to showcase how AI leaders are impacting the world beyond the lab. 

“This year's list offers examples of the possibilities for AI when it moves out of the lab and into the world," Jacobs said, emphasizing the rapid evolution of AI and the emergence of new leaders in the field. 

However, many critics argue that Musk, given his impact through Neuralink, xAI, and the development of autonomous driving technology, deserved a spot.

Social media users also voiced skepticism over the inclusion of Scarlett Johansson, who has no formal role in AI development but was involved in a legal dispute with OpenAI over the unauthorized use of her voice to train a chatbot. 

Others pointed out the inclusion of Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor and YouTuber Marques Brownlee as further examples of non-traditional AI influencers being recognized by TIME.

Elon Musk’s exclusion is even more surprising given his ongoing contributions to AI. In 2023, Musk launched xAI and developed Grok, a chatbot that gained popularity in comparison to competitors like ChatGPT. 

He also introduced Colossus, a cutting-edge NVIDIA GPU supercomputer, and made headlines earlier this year when his company Neuralink successfully implanted a brain chip into a paralyzed patient, allowing them to navigate the internet using only their mind.

Despite Musk’s achievements, TIME’s list included other industry titans such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Google’s Sundar Pichai, and Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, all of whom have significant AI projects underway. 

Jacobs also noted that 91 of the individuals featured this year were not included in last year’s edition, reflecting how quickly the field of artificial intelligence is changing.

The controversy has only intensified online. “Every person on this top 100 list if asked would say Elon should be on this list,” one user posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Another commented, "I thought it was cute that Elon Musk wasn't on the cover of Time's 100 most influential people in AI... My f*cking car drives itself lol."

In addition, there have been accusations of bias against TIME. 

Some users suggested that the omission was due to personal vendettas, with one user writing, "This lack of integrity from Time magazine is astounding. It’s like they have a personal vendetta against him."

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, who now owns TIME, was also mentioned in the conversation. Salesforce Ventures has invested heavily in AI startups, including Anthropic, which was featured on the TIME100 list. 

The magazine noted that any conflicts of interest were disclosed within the list, clarifying that companies backed by Salesforce Ventures were appropriately labeled.

The debate over Musk's exclusion from the TIME100 AI list highlights not only the complex relationships within the AI industry but also the rapid pace of its evolution. 

As Sam Jacobs explained, the list was compiled through nominations from industry leaders and experts, with a focus on identifying emerging figures in the world of artificial intelligence.