STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – Arizona State Representative Alexander Kolodin, Chair of the House Ad Hoc Committee on Election Integrity and Florida-style Voting Systems, is pleased to announce the list of expert witnesses for the November 14, 2025, hearing on The Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Democratic Governance and How to Preserve Meaningful Elections:

Diane (“Di”) Cooke: Di Cooke has served as a nonresident AI Fellow in the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. Her work examines artificial intelligence (AI) risks and opportunities within the defense and intelligence domains, including the generative AI threat landscape, human–machine teaming dynamics, the operational use of AI, AI-enabled nuclear escalation risks, and the implications of AI deepfakes on elections and broader democratic discourse. She has informed U.S. and U.K. governmental AI policy frameworks and guidance, national legislation, and industry best practices. Cooke earned her master’s degree in Intelligence and International Security from King’s College London and a bachelor’s degree from the University of St. Andrews.

David Inserra: David Inserra is currently a Fellow for Free Expression and Technology at the Cato Institute, where his research focuses on the importance of both policies and a culture that promote free expression in the technology space. His work covers topics including online content policies and moderation, government “jawboning” (the abuse of authority), and the harmful impact of censorship on individuals, companies, technology, and society. His previous professional experience includes four years on Meta’s content policy teams, where he was responsible for crafting and enforcing its Community Standards, focusing on hate speech, violent speech, restricted goods and services, and support to the Oversight Board. Inserra earned his Master of Public Policy from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Arts from the College of William and Mary.

Connor Leahy: Connor Leahy is the founder and CEO of Conjecture, an artificial intelligence (AI) alignment research firm founded in 2022 that focuses on controlling AI systems and aligning them to human values. He was also co-founder and co-lead of EleutherAI, a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing open-source AI research. His previous experience includes work as a researcher and machine learning engineer at Aleph Alpha GmbH. Leahy attended the Technical University of Munich, pursuing studies in computer science.

Nick Dranias: Nick Dranias is the author of the forthcoming book Why Excellence Matters: Building Better AI Through Better Ethics. He currently serves as General Counsel for Honduras Próspera, Inc. and its affiliates. His professional experience includes serving as Senior Litigation Counsel for the Government Accountability & Special Litigation Unit at the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. He has also held several positions at the Goldwater Institute, where he led a successful challenge against Arizona’s public campaign financing system and argued the case before the U.S. Supreme Court. Dranias is a published author on law and public policy and an expert in constitutional law, contributing to national, regional, and local media outlets. He earned his Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and graduated cum laude from Boston University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Philosophy.

Dr. Robert Epstein: Dr. Robert Epstein is a psychologist and Senior Research Psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology, whose work focuses on how AI-driven platforms shape opinions and votes. His 2015 paper introducing the Search Engine Manipulation Effect (SEME) quantified how biased algorithmic rankings can shift voter preferences. He later extended this research to AI suggestion and answer systems—describing the Search Suggestion Effect (SSE) and the Answer-Bot Effect (ABE)—and has explored influence from recommender engines on video platforms. Dr. Epstein also leads large-scale election-period monitoring projects that capture “ephemeral experiences” (search results, answer boxes, recommendations) shown to real users, and he has testified before Congress on the implications of these AI-mediated effects for democratic governance.

The hearing will be held on Friday, November 14, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. in House Hearing Room 4. It is open to the public and will be livestreamed here: https://bit.ly/4oyw2Cj.

Alexander Kolodin is an attorney and Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives serving Legislative District 3, which includes North Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, and Rio Verde in Maricopa County. Follow him on X/Twitter at @realAlexKolodin.