Bio

I'm Karen Boyd. I'm a researcher and speaker at the Policy and Innovation Center, a San Diego think tank that partners with the Brookings Institution to tackle problems like housing affordability, climate resilience, and economic opportunity. My corner of that work is research to understand the future of work and consulting to help mission-driven organizations use AI in ways that actually match their values. My goal isn’t to get everyone to use generative AI, but rather helping everyone else understand AI and its impact without the jargon, hype, or hot takes.

My academic research asks a specific question: when people build or deploy AI systems, how do they notice, think about, and act on the ethical dimensions of AI? I've studied how design tools can surface ethical blind spots, how documentation practices shape ethical awareness, what happens when AI is applied in ways it shouldn't be, and how AI is reshaping work itself. I publish in peer-reviewed venues like CSCW, FAccT, and JASIST.

I hold a PhD from the University of Maryland's School of Information and an MBA from the University of California, San Diego. My upcoming book, Amplify Good Work (March 2026), translates what I've learned from research into a practical guide for mission-driven teams figuring out how to use AI without losing what makes their work matter.

I've appeared on podcasts including First Day Podcast and the Nonprofit Jenny show, been covered in the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, AI for Educators Daily, and the AI in Education podcast, and I regularly give talks to nonprofit, education, and civic teams about the power and risks of AI in their work. If you'd like to collaborate or book a talk, reach out at kboyd@thinkpic.org or use the form below.

I would most prefer to be in the sleeping compartment of a train right now :)