AI Governance · Tech Policy · Investigative Research

Soniya
Agrawal

Policy researcher and award-winning journalist specializing in AI governance, tech accountability, and regulatory frameworks — bridging investigative rigor with the policy challenges of emerging technologies.

Current · 2024–2026
Master of Public Policy
UC Berkeley — Goldman School of Public Policy
Research Position
Research Analyst — TechEquity Collaborative
Tracking $57M+ in Big Tech lobbying against CA AI legislation
Capstone Collaboration
MIT AI Risk Repository
Compliance evaluation frameworks for frontier AI safety policies
Editorial Role
Communications Editor — Data & Policy
Cambridge University Press

I'm a second-year MPP candidate at UC Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy, building at the intersection of AI governance, tech accountability, and data-driven policy research.

Before pivoting to policy, I spent five years as a Senior Correspondent at ThePrint, India's largest digital news organization, publishing over 600 articles and winning the International Press Institute Award for Excellence in Journalism for frontline COVID-19 investigative reporting. I helped scale ThePrint's YouTube from 100K to over 2 million subscribers.

Today, my work spans lobbying analysis, regulatory compliance frameworks, and AI safety evaluations — translating complex technical realities into actionable governance insights. I bring international experience across India, Mexico, and the United States, and a deep commitment to ensuring technology serves the public interest.

600+
Published articles at ThePrint
$57M+
Big Tech lobbying expenditures tracked
8+
Years across media, policy consulting & academic research
2M+
YouTube subscribers growth at ThePrint
3
Countries: India, Mexico, USA
120+
Students taught as GSI at UC Berkeley
Where Policy
Meets Practice
A career built on rigorous investigation, data analysis, and translating complex systems into public understanding.
2024 – Present
Research Analyst
TechEquity Collaborative
Tracking Big Tech lobbying against California AI legislation including SB 1047, AB 1018, and SB 53. Analyzing regulatory capture patterns and industry coordination tactics to inform equitable tech policy advocacy.
2024 – Present
Data Analyst
UC Berkeley — Global Rights Innovation Lab
Conducting data-driven research at the intersection of human rights and technology, applying quantitative methods to global governance challenges.
2024 – Present
Communications Editor
Data & Policy — Cambridge University Press
Editing and curating content for a leading academic journal on the intersection of data science and public policy.
2024 – Present
Graduate Student Instructor
UC Berkeley — Economics & Psychology
Teaching econometrics and R programming to 120+ undergraduate students, bridging quantitative methods with social science applications.
2018 – 2023
Senior Correspondent
ThePrint — India's Largest Digital News Organization
Published 600+ articles on education, technology policy, and algorithmic accountability. Led frontline COVID-19 investigations that triggered government audits. Exposed systematic issues in India's Swayam MOOC platform affecting 30 million users, influencing national education legislation.
Previous Roles
Policy Consultant
International Innovation Corps
Policy consulting across multiple governments: Port of Seattle (workforce development), City of El Paso (international trade), and Delhi government (climate policy).
Earlier Career
Teach for India Fellow
Teach for India
Focused on education equity, achieving significant improvements in student reading proficiency through data-informed teaching methodologies.
What I Bring to the Table
⚖️

AI Governance & Regulation

EU AI Act, California SB 1047 / SB 53, compliance evaluation frameworks, frontier AI safety policy analysis, regulatory impact assessment.

🔍

Tech Accountability Research

Lobbying expenditure tracking, regulatory capture analysis, industry coordination pattern detection, corporate transparency evaluation.

📊

Quantitative Policy Analysis

Causal inference, program evaluation, RCTs, observational studies, econometrics, R programming, statistical modeling.

🤖

AI Safety & Risk Assessment

Frontier model safety frameworks, responsible scaling policies, transparency documentation analysis, risk taxonomy development.

✍️

Investigative Research & Writing

600+ published articles, award-winning investigative journalism, long-form narrative, translating complexity for diverse audiences.

🌎

Cross-Cultural Policy Work

International experience across India, Mexico, and the US. Multilingual capabilities. Policy consulting for governments at local, national, and international levels.

Work That Moves
the Needle
From exposing algorithmic bias affecting millions to building compliance frameworks for frontier AI — research designed to inform action.
MIT Capstone

AI Risk Repository — Compliance Evaluation Framework

Developing frameworks with MIT FutureTech to evaluate frontier AI companies' safety policies against regulatory standards like the EU AI Act and California's SB 53. Analyzing safety documentation from xAI, Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google DeepMind.

TechEquity

Big Tech Lobbying Against California AI Bills

Tracked over $57 million in industry lobbying expenditures targeting key California AI legislation. Research reveals how coordinated industry campaigns influence the regulatory landscape for artificial intelligence.

Investigative

Swayam MOOC Platform — Digital Learning Investigation

Exposed systematic issues in India's national MOOC education platform affecting 30 million users — including low completion rates, infrastructure failures, and inequitable access. Investigation influenced national education legislation.

COVID-19

Death Underreporting Investigation

Frontline investigative reporting during India's devastating second wave. Uncovered death underreporting across states, visiting crematoriums and hospitals. Work triggered government audits and earned the IPI Award for Excellence.

Academic

UC Berkeley AI Governance Symposium

Organized UC Berkeley's inaugural AI Governance Symposium, convening researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders to address the governance challenges of emerging AI systems.

Public Engagement

30 Days of 30 Studies — AI Research Series

LinkedIn series analyzing cutting-edge AI research papers, translating complex technical findings into accessible policy insights for a broad professional audience.

Selected Technology Coverage
A curated selection from 600+ published articles at ThePrint spanning AI, education technology, digital platforms, and policy.

IIM-Ahmedabad Study Finds 3 of 4 Indian Businesses Can't Leverage AI to Boost Profits

A report by IIM-A and Boston Consulting Group reveals that despite growing AI expenditure, most Indian companies lack the maturity to convert AI investments into profit gains.

No Need for JEE: IIT Guwahati Starts Online B.Sc for Data Science & AI

IIT Guwahati partners with Coursera to launch a four-year online program in Data Science and AI, democratizing access to elite technical education.

How Haryana, UP & MP Are Leading the Way in Regulating EdTech Content in Schools

State governments create frameworks to vet AI-powered educational software, ensuring EdTech content aligns with curriculum standards.

'Inaccurate References & Cumbersome': Why ChatGPT Might Be Losing Its Sheen

Months after its meteoric rise, students and professionals report growing frustrations with ChatGPT's accuracy and usability limitations.

Byju's to Lido: India's EdTech Sector Is Leaking Complaints — Unchecked Power, No Trust

An investigation into thousands of consumer complaints against EdTech giants, revealing systemic accountability gaps in the sector.

Budget 2023: Modi Govt Puts Focus on Upgrading Skills & Tech, 3 New AI Centres to Come Up

Analysis of India's budget allocation for AI infrastructure, including new centres of excellence and skill development programs.

Plagiarism Challenge or Opportunity? AI Platform ChatGPT Has Academics Divided

As ChatGPT gains traction among students, educational institutions grapple with questions of academic integrity and the future of learning.

Teachers' Gender Bias Can Make Girls' Maths Performance Drop, But Not English, Finds Study

Research reveals how implicit bias in teaching affects educational outcomes for girls, with implications for equitable AI-powered learning systems.

Why Swayam Portal's a Dampener for Modi Govt's Online Learning Dream — 3 Cr Signed Up, 4% Finished

Investigation into India's flagship MOOC platform reveals systemic issues with course completion, infrastructure, and user experience.

20% Drop in Maths Performance After Class 7 as Students Don't Understand Words, EdTech App Finds

AI-powered analysis of 75,000 students reveals the critical role of language comprehension in mathematical learning outcomes.

57% Girl Students, 85% Boys Interested in Pursuing STEM as Career, Survey Finds

Multi-city survey reveals persistent gender gaps in technology career aspirations and the lack of female role models in STEM fields.

View all 665 articles at ThePrint →
Academic Foundation
Master of Public Policy
UC Berkeley — Goldman School of Public Policy
2024–2026 · Specialization in AI governance and tech policy. Coursework: Tech Policy Design, Case Studies in Prediction & AI, Statistics for Program Evaluation, causal inference, econometrics.
Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism
Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai
India's premier journalism school. Training in investigative reporting, data journalism, and multimedia storytelling.
Teach For India Fellowship
Teach For India
Two-year fellowship focused on education equity, working with underserved communities. Achieved significant improvements in student reading proficiency through data-informed methods.
Capstone: MIT AI Risk Repository
MIT FutureTech Collaboration
Building compliance evaluation frameworks assessing how frontier AI companies' safety policies align with emerging regulations including the EU AI Act and California SB 53.
Awards & Honors
2022

IPI Award for Excellence in Journalism

International Press Institute — Awarded for courageous frontline reporting during India's COVID-19 second wave, including crematorium investigations and death underreporting exposés across multiple states.

2016

Teach For India Fellowship

Competitive national fellowship focused on education equity and social impact in underserved communities.

Open to Opportunities in
AI Governance & Tech Policy
I'm actively seeking roles at the intersection of AI governance, tech accountability, and public policy — at think tanks, tech companies, government, and research institutions.