Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn just backtracked on his aggressive AI rhetoric following fierce backlash from users. After previously suggesting the company would phase out contract workers and pivot to an AI-first model, von Ahn clarified on LinkedIn that AI is just an accelerator and Duolingo is still hiring humans at its usual pace.
Duolingo is officially shifting to an AI-first strategy, with CEO Luis von Ahn announcing plans to gradually stop using contractors for tasks AI can handle. Teams will only be granted new headcount if they prove work cannot be further automated, and AI adoption will now factor directly into hiring and performance reviews.
Duolingo just introduced Video Call and Adventures at its Duocon 2024 conference to make language practice more interactive. Duolingo Max subscribers can hold real-time, adaptive conversations with Lily across English, Spanish, and French, while new mini-games let learners practice everyday tasks like ordering coffee in a low-pressure game environment.
Tech giants are cutting jobs, and everyone is blaming AI — but experts say that's mostly a cover story. Oxford researchers and analysts point out there's little evidence of robots directly replacing workers at scale; instead, companies are just cutting standard costs or slashing other budgets to fund expensive AI pivots.
Duolingo just announced Duolingo Max, a new subscription tier powered by OpenAI’s newly unveiled GPT-4. The upgrade introduces two conversational AI features: Explain My Answer, which breaks down mistakes in a chat format, and Roleplay, letting learners practice real-world scenarios like ordering at a cafe. It is rolling out now on iOS in the US and select markets.
