Duolingo CEO defends ‘AI-First’ strategy, says memo misunderstood
Duolingo's CEO Luis von Ahn has attempted to clarify comments that generated backlash earlier this year, asserting that the company’s ambition to become an “AI-first company” was misconstrued.In an interview with The New York Times, von Ahn noted that much of the controversy stemmed from a lack of context. “Internally, this was not contentious,” he said. “Externally, as a publicly traded company, some individuals assumed it was solely for profit or that we intended to lay off employees. That was not the goal at all.”
The language-learning company faced criticism after the memo was disclosed, with worries that the incorporation of artificial intelligence could jeopardize jobs. Von Ahn emphasized that Duolingo has “never laid off any full-time staff” and has no intentions of doing so. He acknowledged variability in the number of contractors but maintained that it has always depended on project requirements.
Despite the backlash, Duolingo seems to have experienced minimal financial impact, with von Ahn expressing a strong belief in the potential of AI in education. He shared that employees dedicate every Friday morning to testing and exploring new AI tools. “It’s an unfortunate acronym, f-r-A-I-days,” he joked. “I’m unsure how to say it.”
Von Ahn’s remarks come amid wider discussions about the utilization of artificial intelligence in consumer platforms and worries about possible job losses. While some industry experts remain doubtful, the Duolingo leader argued that the integration of AI is focused on improving user experience rather than replacing human skills.
With over 500 million users worldwide, Duolingo has established itself as a leader in educational technology. The company's approach indicates that it views AI not as a means to reduce costs but as a catalyst for innovation in language learning.
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