Jensen Huang, Yann LeCun and Fei-Fei Li were among the AI and technology leaders to be awarded the Queen Elizabeth Prize for engineering by King Charles III on Wednesday evening.
In total nine figures were named as 2025 laureates for the prize in honour of their pioneering contributions to the development of modern machine learning, in recognition of the growing importance of AI in the modern world.
“Our 2024 and 2025 Laureates represent the very best of engineering. Together, their work demonstrates how engineering can both sustain our planet and transform the way we live and learn,” said Science Minister Lord Vallance, chair of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering Foundation.
“The ingenuity and dedication of this exceptional group of engineers embody the very essence of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering: innovation that serves humanity and inspires the next generation of global problem-solvers.”
The full list of engineering laureates awarded is as follows:
Yoshua Bengio
Bill Dally
Geoffrey Hinton
John Hopfield
Jensen Huang
Yann LeCun
Fei-Fei Li
The recipients were presented the award in a ceremony at St James’ Palace. Prior to the presentation, the winners visited 10 Downing Street for a roundtable discussion with Technology Secretary Liz Kendall.
The discussion explored engineering advances in machine learning and wind energy, the two categories for the 2024 and 2025 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering.
“Engineers are builders of the future and engineering is the art and science of turning imagination into reality, solving challenges once thought impossible, and uplifting the human condition,” said Huang.
“I am deeply honoured to receive the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering and to be recognised among the pioneers whose work has shaped the world we live in today. This prize has honoured the visionaries who gave us the internet, GPS, digital imaging, and wireless technology—breakthroughs that have transformed industries and everyday life.”
