How we curated the culture list
A landmark, editoral piece honoring the people, stories, and moments that made the biggest impact across industries.
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This year’s list further confirms our focus on people. One of the dominant AI storylines of 2025 has been the competition over people. Investors have poured hundreds of millions into startups, reflecting the perceived value of founders, and leaders of Big Tech firms like Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg have reportedly offered nine-figure deals to attract prized technologists. Those hires, accompanied by frenzied rumors, have turned the once obscure competition over AI researchers into something that better resembles professional sports free agency. The stakes for beating the competition are so high that leading researchers are courted like NBA All-Stars.
“We didn’t want to miss any key detail, everything adds up to the bigger picture.Daniel Orubo, Editor-In-Chief
This year’s list further confirms our focus on people. One of the dominant AI storylines of 2025 has been the competition over people. Investors have poured hundreds of millions into startups, reflecting the perceived value of founders, and leaders of Big Tech firms like Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg have reportedly offered nine-figure deals to attract prized technologists. Those hires, accompanied by frenzied rumors, have turned the once obscure competition over AI researchers into something that better resembles professional sports free agency. The stakes for beating the competition are so high that leading researchers are courted like NBA All-Stars.
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Zikoko amplifies African youth culture by curating and creating smart and joyful content for young Africans and the world.