My work has been covered in places like The New York Times, The Atlantic, Wired, Motherboard, Newsweek, Boston Globe, and CBC.
Tweet me: @chels_bar
Mail me: chelsea [dot] barabas @ gmail [dot] com
I work at the intersection of AI, infrastructure, and public institutions. My research and advisory practice focus on how the political economy of AI — from supply chains and compute to governance and procurement — shapes which systems are built, who benefits, and who bears risk.
I collaborate with mission-driven organizations, coalitions, and policymakers to interrogate the structural conditions under which AI systems are developed and deployed — asking not only how to govern them, but when, where, and whether they should be adopted at all. My work centers worker protections, democratic accountability, and long-term institutional capacity.
Bridging research, policy, and practice, I help institutions treat AI as a matter of infrastructure and political economy rather than inevitability or hype.
***NOTE***
This site is currently under construction as I take time to archive all the fun projects I’ve had the opportunity to be part of over the last few years. Leaving up my (slightly outdated) Publications and Talks tab if you want to peruse past work in the meantime.
Updates expected to go live sometime in March 2026. Stay tuned!