Duolingo is set to phase out its use of contract content creators and increase its reliance on artificial intelligence as part of a major strategic shift to become an “AI-first” company, according to a message from co-founder and CEO Luis von Ahn.
In an internal email posted to LinkedIn on Tuesday, von Ahn told staff the company must “rethink much of how we work” and that minor adjustments to existing human-based systems would not be enough. “To teach well, we need to create a massive amount of content, and doing that manually doesn’t scale,” he said.
The Pennsylvania-based language-learning app, which has more than 20 million daily active users, will begin “gradually” replacing contract workers who create educational content with AI-driven tools. AI will also be used to support hiring and performance reviews.
Von Ahn compared the transition to the company’s early move to mobile in 2012. “When there’s a shift this big, the worst thing you can do is wait,” he said. “In 2012, we bet on the mobile. This time, we’re betting on AI.”
Duolingo has increasingly embraced generative AI across its products, particularly in its premium subscription tier, Duolingo Max. The feature allows users to engage in simulated, natural-language video conversations — a function that has proven popular but costly to maintain.
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