Kyrsten Sinema Talks Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare Innovation with CNN
Former U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema appeared on CNN’s State of the Union with Jake Tapper last week to discuss her work on artificial intelligence, healthcare innovation, and her partnership with Arizona State University. The interview, however, drew attention to her post-Senate career in Washington’s influence industry.
Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema discussed AI, healthcare, and her Spark Center partnership on CNN, as questions arise over her lobbying ties.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images
Sinema left Congress in 2024 after serving one term in the Senate. She later joined the international law and lobbying firm Hogan Lovells, which highlighted her experience in artificial intelligence when announcing her role. According to The Wall Street Journal, Sinema is projected to earn over $1 million this year through her consulting and business work.
During the CNN segment, Tapper introduced Sinema as “invested in” AI and highlighted her creation of the Spark Center for Innovation in Learning at Arizona State University. Shortly after leaving office, Sinema donated $3 million from her campaign account to fund the center. She explained that the initiative is partnering with OpenAI to support new AI-driven education and technology startups.
“We’re partnering with OpenAI, and we’re going to do a competition, and then financially and with mentorship help these companies actually get to the market,” Sinema told Tapper. She described potential innovations, including AI tools designed to support students with dyslexia.
Tapper also asked Sinema about the Trump administration’s artificial intelligence policies. She praised the administration’s “AI Action Plan” and highlighted the leadership of David Sacks, appointed as AI and cryptocurrency czar. Sinema called the plan “ambitious” and said it positioned the United States to compete with China in the global AI race.
In addition to her AI initiatives, Sinema discussed the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare. She noted her firm’s connection to the AI Healthcare Coalition and described collaborations with companies using AI to identify gaps in pharmaceutical development, including the repurposing of existing drugs for neglected diseases.
Cable news appearances by former lawmakers are common, but questions remain over disclosure of their current work in the private sector. Sinema is not yet a registered lobbyist due to federal ethics rules requiring a two-year waiting period after leaving Congress. As a result, her client list has not been made public.
CNN did not disclose Sinema’s ties to Hogan Lovells or her AI-related clients during the interview, even as she discussed sectors directly connected to her consulting portfolio.
