TIME has named He Tingbo, President of HiSilicon, Huawei's semiconductor division, to its 2026 TIME100 AI list, which honors the most influential people in artificial intelligence. The recognition comes after He Tingbo unveiled the "Tau (τ) Scaling Law" in May 2026 at the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems in Shanghai. This proposal suggests replacing the geometric shrinking of Moore's Law with time-based scaling as the guiding principle for semiconductors and the electronic systems built on them.
The Tau Scaling Law represents a paradigm shift in how the industry might approach chip development. Instead of focusing solely on transistor density, it emphasizes how computational performance can improve over time through architectural innovations and system-level optimizations. This could have profound implications for AI, as the demand for computing power continues to outpace traditional scaling methods.
Under He Tingbo's leadership over the past decade, HiSilicon has built a competitive edge in AI computing, including Ascend AI accelerators, Kunpeng server processors, and UnifiedBus-enabled SuperPoD systems. These technologies are central to Huawei's AI strategy, providing the hardware foundation for training and inference workloads.
The TIME100 AI list was compiled by TIME's editors and reporters, who examined key stories in AI over the past year and consulted with expert sources and industry leaders. The result is a list of 100 leaders, innovators, shapers, and thinkers who have a stake in the future of AI. He Tingbo's inclusion underscores her impact on the field, particularly through her efforts to redefine the roadmap for semiconductor advancement.
This recognition highlights the growing importance of alternative scaling laws as the industry approaches physical limits of Moore's Law. The Tau Scaling Law's emphasis on time-based scaling could influence how companies plan their R&D investments and product roadmaps. It also positions Huawei and HiSilicon as thought leaders in the AI hardware space, potentially shaping global standards and practices.
For more details on He Tingbo's story, visit the TIME100 AI profile at https://time.com/collection/time100-ai/2026/he-tingbo/. The full list is available at http://ti.me/100ai. This recognition not only celebrates individual achievement but also signals a potential shift in the semiconductor industry's approach to innovation.
