Christy Carroll brings strategic clarity to enterprise AI adoption: combining deep technical expertise with a decade of designing AI experiences that users actually trust and choose to use.
Based in Austin, Texas, I specialize in trust calibration, adoption patterns, and matching technology to real user needs. My recent research revealed critical gaps between AI system capabilities and user expectations that directly impact adoption rates—showing that enterprise AI fails not because of technical limitations, but because of fundamental design and implementation choices.
I've been designing AI experiences since 2015, starting with IBM Watson and spanning conversational AI systems, document intelligence platforms, and AI-powered enterprise tools across financial services, education, and technology sectors. What differentiates my approach: I design sophisticated AI systems when they're the right solution, and I have the professional courage to call it out when they're not. I match technology to actual user needs, because sometimes a simpler approach delivers better outcomes.
“Christy is a great balance of strategic thinker and executor. She was my thought partner in ambiguous spaces and also my on-the-ground support for delivery. Her curiosity, fungibility, and user-centered mindset makes her a valuable addition to any team.”
AI Design Manager, Capital One
“I’ve worked with Christy for the past two years and relied on her expert visual design skills and thoughtful approach to AI design. What differentiates Christy as a collaborator is that she cares just as much about the work as the people (client or teammate) who make it. She’ll magically turn you into her design co-conspirator, and the work will be better because of it.”
Design Lead for the Americas at IBM’s Cloud Garage
This collaborative spirit has been the throughline of my career—from early work in brand development through product design, conversational AI architecture, and strategic AI consulting. I've helped organizations from Fortune 500 enterprises to emerging tech companies implement AI that serves actual user needs rather than organizational hype cycles. See my CV for the full story.
“I have had the pleasure of partnering on client delivery with Christy directly. In a highly technical environment, we were able to drive the client to considering their users’ needs. We encouraged them to shed their previous constraints and work towards new user-centric approaches. Christy’s ability to keep her feet planted and be high level allowed us to do this without compromising the reliability of the solution.
Furthermore, she has excellent taste in music and is down for a live show!”
Adam Williams
Practice Lead | San Francisco Garage at IBM
Currently, I'm exploring opportunities in AI strategy, product design, conversational AI, and UX research. My work focuses on:
Trust calibration and adoption research for enterprise AI systems
Conversational AI design and agentic interaction patterns
Frameworks for evaluating when AI-first is the right approach (and when it's not)
Strategic product thinking that bridges user research, business goals, and technical capabilities