Leadership’s Vision

In a memo shared with employees, Duolingo’s CEO, Luis von Ahn, emphasized the transformative impact of AI on work processes. “AI is already changing how work gets done,” he stated, urging staff to adapt swiftly to these evolving technologies.

Transition from Contractors to AI

The company plans to gradually phase out its reliance on human contract workers, assigning tasks to AI capabilities instead. This includes:

• Reducing contractor roles and reallocating responsibilities to AI.
• Incorporating AI performance metrics into hiring and employee evaluations.
• Limiting new hires to areas where automation cannot be applied.

Support for Employees

Despite the shift towards automation, Ahn reassured employees of Duolingo’s commitment to their development. The company will focus on:

• Training programs tailored for full-time staff.
• Mentorship opportunities to facilitate skill enhancement.
• Providing access to AI tools to improve productivity.

Historical Context and Future Aspirations

Reflecting on Duolingo’s previous successes, Ahn mentioned the company’s strategic focus on mobile technology that began in 2012, which resulted in a surge to 10 million downloads shortly after launching its app. Today, the platform boasts over 500 million registered users.

“This time the platform shift is AI,” he remarked, highlighting the urgency for adaptation in the current technological landscape.

Innovative AI Features

Duolingo is actively implementing AI in its offerings, as seen with the introduction of Video Call, a feature that enables learners to engage in conversation with an AI character named Lily. This innovation is part of the company’s larger goal to enhance user experience through technology.

Industry Trends

Duolingo joins other companies, like Shopify, in adopting an AI-first strategy. Shopify’s CEO, Tobias Lutke, has also highlighted the necessity for employees to leverage AI effectively as a standard expectation moving forward.