FT Picks Jensen Huang as One of 2025’s Top 25 Influential Figures | WPN World People News

The UK’s Financial Times has released its inaugural Influence List, naming the 25 people who will truly “change the world” in 2025. Unlike rankings based on status, power, or wealth, the FT emphasizes that its selections are individuals whose talent, breakthroughs, creativity, ideas, and actions are reshaping the world we live in. The list spans politics, business, media, the arts, and sports, and is divided into three categories: Creators, Leaders, and Heroes.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is included in the Leaders category, with an accompanying appraisal written by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Altman notes that Huang has spent years preparing for the AI era, placing early bets on new computing architectures that laid the foundation for today’s “digital intelligence.” He praises Huang’s deep technical vision, relentless drive, and long-term investment in infrastructure, which have accelerated the scale and pace of AI hardware and systems in ways few can match. Altman adds that he values their nearly decade-long collaboration and looks forward to continuing to work together.

Beyond Huang, the list highlights a diverse array of influential figures, including the first female White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles; New York City’s first Muslim mayor Zohran Mamdani; MI6’s first female chief, Blaise Metreweli; PayPal co-founder, Peter Thiel; BYD Senior Vice President, Stella Li; Korean American entrepreneur, Michele Kang; golf star, Rory McIlroy; and Oscar-winning actress, Jane Fonda—showcasing wide-ranging influence across fields and backgrounds.