PhD student in Human-Centered Design and Engineering at the University of Washington. My research examines AI’s role in shaping governance, labor, and economic competition, bridging human-centered AI, socio-technical systems, and participatory design.
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in decision-making, its influence extends beyond efficiency and optimization—structuring governance, redefining labor, and shifting economic power. Who benefits from AI-driven decisions, and who is left out?
My research critically examines these systems through lenses such as structuration theory, participatory AI governance, and critical technical practice. I investigate how AI not only makes decisions but also defines what decisions are considered valid, ethical, or economically viable.
To explore these questions, I am developing an interactive Decision-Making AI Bot—a tangible AI system that reimagines how business strategy and governance are structured. This system integrates AI-driven decision matrices, stakeholder input, and real-time adaptability to simulate decision-making in dynamic business and economic environments.
Rather than treating AI as a neutral optimization tool, this work considers AI as a contested space where power, labor, and governance intersect. By experimenting with interactive, embodied AI, I aim to rethink how AI-driven decision-making can balance efficiency with ethical adaptability and long-term human agency.
My interest in decision-making emerged through my background in Urban Planning and participatory technology design. My past work, funded by grants, focused on building collaboratory tools and entrepreneurial ventures that enhanced public participation in city decision-making. Through these experiences, I explored how technology can amplify community voices and foster inclusive governance.
Over time, my focus expanded from urban governance to the broader impact of decision-making in entrepreneurship, business strategy, and AI-driven automation. Businesses shape the lives of millions, and AI now plays a significant role in defining who has power, whose interests are prioritized, and what economic models become dominant. My research seeks to ensure that AI does not replace human reasoning but instead enhances human judgment, ethical deliberation, and stakeholder-driven governance.
As AI increasingly automates decision-making, its role in shaping labor and economic competition raises urgent questions. Will AI reinforce existing labor inequalities, or can it be leveraged to create more equitable decision-making structures?
My research critically explores how AI transforms workforce management, corporate governance, and labor markets. I examine whether AI-driven decision systems concentrate power within executive leadership or foster decentralized, participatory governance models.
Current AI systems are often designed to maximize efficiency, but at what cost? If AI decision-making prioritizes financial optimization above all else, it risks undermining worker protections, ethical labor practices, and long-term economic sustainability.
My work investigates strategies for designing AI that supports competition and worker agency, considering alternative governance structures that prioritize fairness, adaptability, and long-term resilience in business strategy.
Email: vishnura@uw.edu
Download my resume: Vishnupriya_2pageCV.pdf