Kait Hines brings human-centered UX to AI and voice design

Influential Women spotlighted senior UX designer Kait Hines for more than 15 years of work across mobile, web, voice, wearables and AI-driven products. Her career at GEICO and Amazon centers on research, accessibility and inclusive design as digital experiences shift toward generative and agentic systems.

Why it matters: - Kait Hines’ work sits at the intersection of UX, accessibility and artificial intelligence, where design choices can shape how millions of people use digital tools. - Her focus on human behavior and inclusive experiences reflects a broader industry push to make AI and voice products more usable, understandable and safe.

What happened: - Influential Women featured Kait Hines, a Senior UX Designer with more than 15 years of experience. - Hines has designed for mobile, web, voice, wearables and emerging AI-driven platforms. - Her background in psychology informs her approach to research-driven and human-centered product design. - Hines earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. - Her career has included work in insurance, enterprise software, assistive technology and large-scale consumer ecosystems.

The details: - At GEICO, Hines helped establish user research practices and designed mobile applications used by millions of customers. - Her GEICO work connected research insights, business goals and technical requirements into scalable digital products. - Hines also led and mentored design teams, with an emphasis on collaboration and research-based decision-making. - Her mobile work at GEICO received industry recognition. - At Amazon, Hines has worked for several years on Alexa and next-generation artificial intelligence experiences. - Her Amazon projects have included onboarding experiences for Alexa+. - Hines has also contributed to accessibility-focused features, including assistive and emergency response tools. - Her work has been recognized with honors including Voice Experience of the Year for inclusive voice experiences. - Hines says her psychology training and timing in the mobile boom helped shape her career growth. - She credits calculated risk-taking, data-driven hypotheses, curiosity and clear communication as key to her progress. - Hines says mentors influenced how she approaches communication, leadership and problem-solving. - She advises young women in technology and design to build confidence by learning, asking questions and speaking up. - Hines also encourages designers to say “I don’t know” when needed and use that as a starting point for discovery. - Outside work, Hines quilts and stays involved with Girls Who Code and Nextdoor Solutions.

Between the lines: - Hines’ career mirrors a shift in UX from making apps usable to making AI systems explainable, accessible and trustworthy. - Her emphasis on responsible design suggests the next competitive edge in AI products may come from usefulness and inclusivity, not just new features. - The profile also frames leadership as a blend of technical rigor, empathy and communication, especially for women advancing in design and engineering.

What's next: - Hines said she plans to keep exploring the overlap between artificial intelligence and user experience. - She is focused on helping shape intelligent systems that enhance daily life while staying grounded in human-centered design principles. - Her broader message points to continued demand for designers who can bridge research, accessibility and emerging technology.