Khari Johnson

Khari Johnson is part of the economy team and is CalMatters’ first tech reporter.

He has carried a reporter’s notebook in his back pocket for the majority of his life and has covered artificial intelligence since 2016. At first he covered stories from a consumer technology approach driven by products and profit, but human rights abuses and extreme power imbalances gradually turned his focus toward stories that examine how tech can impact society and the public interest. Covering artificial intelligence taught him numerous ancillary issues, including antitrust, privacy, and the importance of policy. He strives to tell stories about people harmed by AI and demand accountability, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you know someone who fits that description. Khari previously worked at WIRED, VentureBeat, and Imperial Beach Patch. In the past he’s talked about how AI can harm people with NPR, The Beat with Ari Melber on MSNBC, onstage at WIRED’s 30th anniversary, and at the Democracy Summit at Howard University. He has a charismatic smile, charming wit, and an unending passion for snacks. He was born and raised in San Diego, and graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism and minor in political science. He lives in Oakland.