Meli Kaplan is the AI Design Lead for the Microsoft Innovation Hub in Sydney, working with organisations across Australia and the Asia region to adopt AI in human‑centred, practical, and responsible ways.

With more than 20 years’ experience across technology‑enabled strategy, experience design, service delivery, and organisational change, Meli helps leaders move beyond hype and experimentation to embed AI into everyday practice. Her work focuses on complex or high‑constraint environments, where trust, clarity, and judgement are essential.

Rather than treating AI as a tools problem, Meli brings a design‑led, systems perspective to adoption. She helps leaders slow down just enough to make better decisions, clarifying where AI genuinely adds value, where it introduces risk, and what needs to be in place before scale is possible.

Her work spans executive facilitation, strategic framing, and the translation of complex systems into clear narratives that support shared understanding. Meli is particularly interested in the shift from designing digital experiences to designing AI‑enabled systems, and what it takes to keep those systems transparent, accountable, and human‑centred as they evolve.

A consistent thread across her work is ensuring AI strengthens human agency rather than displacing it. She emphasises responsible and inclusive design, supporting organisations to build capability, confidence, and governance alongside technical delivery.

Alongside enterprise engagements, Meli works with public sector, not‑for‑profit, and community organisations navigating digital and AI transformation under real‑world constraints, where resilience, accessibility, and long‑term sustainability matter most. Her perspective is grounded in practice, enabling thoughtful adoption that balances innovation and responsibility.