Katy Cheng recently joined JAPAN AI as a Design Manager. Before coming to Japan, she led the design organization at a beauty-tech SaaS company in Taiwan, directing UI and web experiences for applications that have been downloaded over one billion times worldwide. Since 2023, she has also taken on multiple generative AI projects—ranging from image enhancement tools to advanced image-generation applications—while transforming design workflows through the thoughtful integration of AI. Why did she decide to bring her experience to JAPAN AI at this moment? And what does she see in the future of design when creativity meets real, practical AI? In this interview, Katy shares her journey, her philosophy on user-centered design, and her vision for building a design culture where AI elevates creativity rather than replacing it.
Katy Cheng
PdM Department
Design group
I recently joined JAPAN AI as a Design Manager. Before this, I worked in Taiwan at a beauty-tech SaaS company as a UI/Web Design Manager, where I was responsible for directing multiple B2C apps and the official website. Collectively, these apps have been downloaded more than one billion times across the globe, which gave me extensive experience in designing for large-scale, diverse user bases.
Starting in 2023, I began leading several generative AI projects within the company. Some examples include an AI-powered image management enhancer and an advanced image generation application. I also introduced AI tools into the design department’s daily workflows, improving not only efficiency but also the team’s overall creative output.
Through these projects, I became increasingly fascinated by how AI can expand what designers are capable of. That curiosity eventually led me to JAPAN AI.
In my previous role, we constantly explored how to meaningfully integrate generative AI into a B2B product. It wasn’t always easy—while the technology offered endless possibilities, connecting it to real business value was often challenging.
When I first encountered JAPAN AI’s product, I was genuinely impressed. The platform seamlessly combines generative AI with real B2B use cases, creating a product that feels practical, accessible, and clearly aimed at solving users’ day-to-day problems.
There’s also a personal experience that strongly influenced my decision. I once interviewed a blind entrepreneur in Canada who told me that although AI could significantly help his business, the tools were scattered across many different platforms that they weren’t truly useful in practice. That conversation made me deeply aware of how fragmented the AI ecosystem can be—and how much it disadvantages people who could benefit from it the most.
JAPAN AI’s platform has the potential to become a unified, accessible system that empowers users like him. I believe this company can consolidate fragmented AI tools into one coherent, supportive experience for small business owners, including those with visual impairments. That vision truly resonated with me.
What impressed me the most was the strong sense of ownership across the entire team. Everyone here actively looks for solutions and contributes in their own way, without waiting for direction. People naturally step in to solve problems, and decisions move quickly because unnecessary processes don’t hold us back.
There is a genuine understanding within the team that each member has different strengths—and those strengths are embraced rather than restricted. This mindset allows us to move fast while maintaining high-quality collaboration. Experiencing this level of initiative and teamwork from day one left a very strong impression on me.
Our design team aims to create a consistent, user-centered experience across all JAPAN AI products. This requires close collaboration with multiple teams to refine processes, ensure alignment, and continuously improve the quality of the user journey.
One of my key missions is to integrate AI tools into our design workflow so that our team can work more efficiently and elevate the sophistication of our output. As a design manager, I focus on helping each designer amplify their strengths while also ensuring that our work reflects the voice and needs of real users. This goes beyond visual design—it extends to how interactions feel, how information is structured, and how intuitive the overall experience is.