Designing an emotionally intelligent AI companion for women

Motherload is an emotionally intelligent conversational AI grounded in behavioural science. It’s designed to support women carrying the mental and emotional weight of modern life — from motherhood and work to everyday stresses that often go unseen.

When I joined the team, the concept was still in its very early stages. As Lead Designer, I was responsible for crafting the UX, UI, brand identity, and overall visual direction for the product’s first MVP.

The initial focus was on mothers, but it quickly became clear that emotional burnout isn’t limited to parenthood. Most digital tools offering “support” were either too broad (like ChatGPT) or lacked the emotional intelligence needed for sensitive moments. The challenge was to create a product that users could trust. One that felt human, supportive, and safe to talk to.

Because the product aimed to handle personal and emotional conversations, building trust and transparency became the foundation of the design approach. That meant carefully considering how the app looked, sounded, and responded, not just how it functioned.

We began by researching other companion apps and wellness tools to identify best practices and gaps. From there, I created low-fidelity wireframes to test the core interactions with potential users. Wireframes proved invaluable as they let us validate ideas early without users getting distracted by visual polish.

The visual direction centred on calmness and warmth. I used a soft, accessible colour palette paired with hand-drawn illustrations to make the interface feel more human and emotionally grounded. Accessibility was a priority: ensuring high contrast, legible typography, and voice interaction options to support users with varying needs.

A particularly complex aspect of the project was designing intervention moments, when the AI detects that a user might be in distress or discussing harm. These flows had to be clear, compassionate, and connect users to appropriate resources immediately. Designing for those moments reinforced how important it is to treat ethical design as non-negotiable.

The MVP is set to launch this fall. Early feedback from stakeholders and testers has been incredibly positive, with many commenting on how safe, calming, and approachable the experience feels.

For me, Motherload has been one of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on. It reminded me that great design isn’t just about function or aesthetics, it’s about empathy, ethics, and the impact a product can have on someone’s life.