Duolingo reverses AI-first strategy after backlash over job cuts
PENNSYLVANIA, UNITED STATES — Language-learning app Duolingo has walked back its plans to replace contract workers with artificial intelligence following intense criticism from users and employees.
The company’s initial announcement, made in April by CEO Luis von Ahn, outlined a new “AI-first” strategy that would see the company “gradually stop using contractors to do work that AI can handle.”
The memo stated, “Headcount will only be given if a team cannot automate more of their work,” a move that was intended to accelerate content creation and reduce costs.
However, when the letter was shared publicly on LinkedIn, it quickly drew more than 1,000 comments and 600 reposts, with many users threatening to delete the app. The backlash highlighted concerns about job losses and the potential decline in content quality.
Duolingo CEO clarifies AI’s role
In response to the outcry, von Ahn issued a new statement on LinkedIn, acknowledging the lack of clarity in his original message and seeking to reassure both employees and users.
“I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen with AI, but I do know it’s going to fundamentally change the way we work, and we have to get ahead of it,” he wrote.
He encouraged the Duolingo team to embrace new technology and “stay ahead of it and remain in control of our own product and our mission.”
Von Ahn was explicit about the company’s intentions: “To be clear: I do not see AI as replacing what our employees do (we are, in fact, continuing to hire at the same speed as before). I see it as a tool to accelerate what we do, at the same or better level of quality. And the sooner we learn how to use it — and use it responsibly — the better off we will be in the long run.”
Future of AI at Duolingo
In the past year, the company launched 150 new language courses generated by AI, doubling its course offerings and marking its largest-ever content expansion. These new courses, primarily for beginner levels, include features such as Stories and DuoRadio to support reading and listening comprehension.
The company credits AI with enabling rapid scaling that would have taken decades to achieve manually.
Duolingo’s experience reflects a broader trend among tech companies adopting “AI-first” strategies, but also the challenges that come with balancing automation and human input.
