About the Lab
Last updated: September 15, 2025
About Me
I’m Daniel P. Madden, an independent AI researcher and IT specialist. I design and test custom GPTs, build experimental personas, and develop frameworks for reasoning, trust, and governance.
My path into AI is unconventional but deliberate:
Creative foundation: I hold a B.A. in Art with Departmental Honors from CSU San Bernardino, where I developed a visual sensibility and human-centered design mindset.
Technical grounding: Years in IT operations, infrastructure, and security, plus ongoing study toward a B.S. in Cloud and Network Engineering at Western Governors University. Certifications include CompTIA A+, Network+, ITIL v4, and Microsoft Azure Fundamentals.
Independent practice: I’ve been hands-on with ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude since their release, using them as platforms for building and testing ideas.
I describe my role as something of an “AI Trust Architect” — designing systems that expand human agency, respect dignity, and remain accountable, while staying grounded in real technical practice. It ain’t much yet, but it’s honest work.
What I Do
My applied work sits at the intersection of AI design, governance, and human values:
AI Systems & Applied Design – building and testing custom GPTs, personas, and frameworks (e.g. Persona Architecture, AI OSI Stack).
Ethical AI & Governance – aligning design principles with frameworks like NIST AI RMF, ISO 42001, and the EU AI Act, with an emphasis on transparency, auditability, and risk management.
Programming & Prototyping – Python-based experiments, API integrations, and scenario testing with leading models (OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini).
Research & Strategy – stress-testing AI in ambiguous scenarios, developing practical tools, and applying systems thinking to bridge technology and governance.
Mission and Design Commitments
My mission is to pioneer specialized, ethically grounded AI systems that empower leaders, strengthen governance, and deliver lasting human benefit.
I work from five guiding values:
Intellectual Honesty – test ideas rigorously, avoid hype.
Ethical Responsibility – design with dignity and clarity.
Practical Innovation – build tools that hold up under pressure.
Inclusivity – center outsider voices to counter insider blind spots.
Critical Inquiry – challenge assumptions and hype cycles.
And I argue for design commitments that should guide AI itself:
Transparency as Infrastructure – AI must show how it knows, not just what it outputs.
Dignity as Constraint – no AI should blur the line between tool and relationship.
Agency as Goal – expand human decision-making, don’t diminish it.
Authenticity as Signal – preserve quirks and contradictions in human expression.
Trust as Long Game – prioritize systems that adapt responsibly over time.
Research Themes and Projects
Decision-Making and Strategy – AI as a reasoning partner in high-stakes dilemmas.
Reasoning Beyond Data – exploring logic, structure, and abstraction beyond statistical shortcuts.
Trust and Human Impact – exposing blind spots, naming traps, and proposing alternatives.
Key Projects:
Solomon – strategic reasoning persona for board-level dilemmas.
PyCode – Python mentor and code generator that teaches best practices.
Persona Architecture – a framework for role-specific AI personas designed for trust and differentiated value.
Engagement
This lab is open by design. I welcome collaborations with leaders, policymakers, and researchers working on reasoning, governance, or human-centered AI.
If AI is going to reshape the world, we deserve a say in how it’s designed. This lab is my way of helping shape that future.