TIME

“Being an educator, as they say in the vernacular, it ain’t easy, baby.” Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph has captivated audiences with her joy for decades, receiving her first Tony nomination in 1982 for her breakout role as Deena Jones in the original Broadway production of ‘Dreamgirls.’ Her ongoing portrayal of the no-nonsense kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard on the ABC sitcom ‘Abbott Elementary’ deepened Ralph's respect for educators. In 2022, she won her first Emmy for the role—just the second Black woman to win Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series—and has earned consecutive nominations since. Ralph is TIME’s Woman of the Year alongside 15 other female leaders building a more equitable future. Read her story and meet the full list here: https://lnkd.in/eB3j_y3D

“I’m SpongeBob SquarePants, so I like to soak up knowledge.” Teyana Taylor assembles her dream dinner party—assuming she can squeeze it in between award nominations and culinary-school assignments. In 2026, the actor, director, musician, and choreographer was nominated for a Grammy for her album 'Escape Room,' won a Golden Globe, and is now a frontrunner for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars. She now leads TIME’s Women of the Year list. Read her story and see the full list here: https://lnkd.in/eB3j_y3D.

"Incredible minds [are] coming together collaboratively to find ways that we can apply the latest in AI to tackle some of our most pressing problems." We asked health leaders what excites them in the domain of health and artificial intelligence. Connie Lehman, professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School and founder of Clairity, Inc. — a company pioneering AI-driven, 5-year breast cancer risk prediction from mammograms — highlighted the significance of being able to help women with new technology.

"AI will drive productivity, revenue growth, and therefore more hiring." Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says we're thinking about AI's impact on the job market all wrong. Here's why he's hopeful. https://lnkd.in/ewXDx2gQ

In April 2025, after more than 40 years as a performer, Sheryl Lee Ralph was finally granted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Reflecting on her personal journey to the milestone, the actor recalls advice Robert De Niro gave her on the set of the 1992 dramatic comedy ‘Mistress.’ “He said, ‘You're a damn good actress, and that's too bad, because Hollywood is not looking for you—so you better climb that mountain and wave that red flag and let them know that you are there,’” Ralph recalls. And so Sheryl Lee Ralph did. She’s since amassed an extensive list of credits on the stage and screen, notably her ongoing portrayal of the no-nonsense kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard on the ABC sitcom 'Abbott Elementary.' Today, Ralph is one of TIME’s Women of the Year alongside 15 other leaders building a more equitable future. Read her story and meet the full list here: https://lnkd.in/d3rY4rVE

"I don't take any of this for granted." Five years ago, Teyana Taylor was “retired” from music and her biggest acting credit was what she called a “hot girl” role in ‘Coming 2 America.’ Cut to 2026: she was nominated for a Grammy for her album 'Escape Room,' won a Golden Globe for her role in ‘One Battle After Another,’ and is now the front runner for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars. She now also leads TIME's Women of the Year list alongside 15 other leaders building a more equitable future across culture, science, sports, advocacy, and the arts. Read her story and see the full list here: https://lnkd.in/ey7aTkiC

In an industry that loves to box women in, Teyana Taylor refuses to be defined by one thing. “Never cage a creative,” she says. After more than 20 years of betting on herself, the Harlem-born artist is stepping into a moment she long envisioned: Grammy nominee, Golden Globe winner, Oscar frontrunner, and now, TIME’s Women of the Year cover star. She fronts this year’s Women of the Year list alongside 15 other leaders building a more equitable future across culture, science, sports, advocacy, and the arts, including Mel Robbins, Chloé Zhao, Ulta Beauty CEO Kecia Steelman, Amy Sherald, Brandi Carlile, Sister Norma Pimentel, and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Read her story and meet the full list here: https://lnkd.in/eB3j_y3D

AI’s rapid evolution requires thoughtful oversight. At Davos, Deloitte US Chair Lara Abrash shared why agile governance, grounded in hindsight, insight, and foresight, is critical in the age of AI. Sponsored by Deloitte

In the increasingly volatile Texas Senate race, two rising Democrats are turning TikTok into a political battleground. Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett has accumulated more than 2.4 million followers, while State Representative James Talarico has over 1.6 million, giving them the largest TikTok audiences of any candidates in competitive statewide races this year, according to a TIME analysis. Now, the March 3 primary will test whether viral reach can translate into votes in a state where Democrats haven’t won a Senate seat since 1988. TIME reporter Nik Popli explains in 60 seconds how the two politicians built such significant traction on TikTok. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dxJNjbBK

At least once a month, two-thirds of people who regularly use AI turn to their bots for advice on sensitive personal issues and emotional support. This is perhaps unsurprising: over the past few years, AI systems have proven to be consistently polite and responsive in their interactions with users. But that friendliness exists within a business model. Already, we’ve seen instances of AI companies optimizing their models to keep people engaged, even when this goes against their best interests. TIME reporter Tharin Pillay breaks down what you should know about AI before turning to it for emotional counsel. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/egSFws4U