When we introduced the TIME100 Next six years ago, it was the initial step in expanding the TIME100 from a singular event into a year-round endeavor. As we’ve developed the TIME100, our objective has remained the same: to utilize the TIME100—our list of the world’s most influential individuals, which began 22 years ago—as a tool for better understanding the world and to guide TIME in its role as a key recorder of leadership. To achieve this, we’ve broadened our perspective on influence and explored the realms of , , , , and .
TIME100 Next highlighted the potential for growth, and for many at TIME, including myself, it continues to be a favorite moment of the year. While we are committed to covering individuals who have reached the peak of their fields, the TIME100 Next offers the chance to acknowledge those who are still developing. This isn’t new to us: we understood that true influence is ageless and can emerge early in a career when we recognized 25-year-old Charles Lindbergh as the first Person of the Year (originally Man of the Year) in 1927.
This year’s group continues that tradition. It features 16-year-old , recognized at the State of the Union for advocating for digital harassment protections; 23-year-old , a Gen Z Māori leader from New Zealand; and 22-year-old golf star . These leaders are among many on this year’s list who are younger than the century they are influencing.
Our covers showcase three individuals who are transforming their respective fields: actor , singer , and CEO . Bailey stars in major films such as Jurassic World: Rebirth and Wicked, while also developing the Shameless Fund, his foundation supporting LGBTQ+ nonprofits. McRae, the 22-year-old Canadian pop artist, has had her music streamed over 20 billion times across all platforms and is currently on a global tour. Koh became the youngest female founder to lead a unicorn company, Spring Health, which enhances access to mental-health care and operates in over 40 countries.
Our objective with each project is to provide a snapshot of the present and to recognize those who we believe are significantly impacting the world this year. Therefore, the list includes young leaders working to solidify Donald Trump’s legacy, as well as those opposing it. It means highlighting leaders from around the globe, such as Saudi Arabia’s , who heads a major media group; Sudan’s , a poet and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador; and Korean Canadian , the co-director of K-Pop Demon Hunters, helping to ensure global voices are heard. It also means celebrating cultural and scientific achievements: , who recently became the first Black actor to win the Emmy for Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role in Severance; , the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year; and , whose work on reviving the dire wolf was featured on the cover of TIME earlier this year.
The selection of the TIME100 Next was managed by Dan Macsai and Cate Matthews, with input from TIME’s editors and reporters worldwide, and is supported by our longstanding partner Rolex, TIME’s official timepiece partner. The articles in this issue are authored by TIME’s journalists and members of the TIME100 community. We thank Cate Blanchett, Fred Swaniker, George Church, and others who joined us in welcoming the next generation of leaders.
“Everyone on the TIME100 Next acted decisively—often in difficult situations—and achieved remarkable feats,” Matthews states. “They show the power we all possess to make a difference.”
