Language learning app Duolingo is making a BOLD move, going “AI-first” across the board. CEO Luis von Ahn CONFIRMED that the company has been aggressively experimenting with AI throughout 2024 and will now use it for content creation, replacing the previous manual process. Von Ahn calls it “one of the best decisions” Duolingo has EVER made.
This isn’t just about content; Duolingo is REVOLUTIONIZING its codebase and internal workflows with AI. In a statement, they practically admitted they’re prioritizing speed over quality to ride the AI hype train, stating they’d “rather move with urgency and take occasional small hits on quality than move slowly and miss the moment.”
AI will DOMINATE hiring, performance reviews, and even headcount decisions. According to von Ahn, AI skills will be a KEY factor in hiring, and teams will ONLY get more staff if they can’t AUTOMATE more work.
Most shockingly, Duolingo plans to phase out contract workers, replacing them with AI. While claiming to care deeply about employees and insisting this isn’t about simply cutting costs, the message is clear: AI is the FUTURE of Duolingo, and human contractors are being left BEHIND. The internet is already reacting with strong opinions about this AI-centric direction.