If you’re on TikTok or Instagram, there’s a decent chance you’ve heard of Duolingo. Duolingo is a language-learning platform with courses in 43 languages, and it is one of the most popular educational apps. This is partly because of the streak feature, as many have streaks lasting over a year on Duolingo. The company also has a significant social media presence, centered around their mascot, Duo the Owl. They often follow trends and cater to a primarily Gen Z audience. This has allowed them to stay relevant and have a large fan base.
On April 28, Duolingo shared an all-hands email from CEO Luis von Ahn stating that the company would shift to an “AI first” approach, meaning that they would be prioritizing AI over their workforce. However, they claimed that Duolingo would “remain a company that cares deeply about its employees.” Ahn stated that using AI would help the company “get closer to their mission” and boost their productivity.
As a result of this announcement, the company began receiving major backlash online, with many people deleting the app and criticizing Duolingo for using AI. Many argued that replacing human language experts with AI tools would impact the quality of learning on the app, as AI is known to have issues with mistranslation and cultural insensitivity.
Despite the backlash, Duolingo continued to justify their shift to AI. In a follow-up post on May 6, the company reiterated their commitment to “innovation through AI.” On social media, the Duolingo account privatized their videos and removed their profile picture. This caused even more backlash online, with people stating that this change was over-dramatic, embarrassing, and a tactic to keep the company in relevance.
It’s unclear what the long-term impacts on the company will be; however, as of now, the response is overwhelmingly negative. The scandal has raised further questions about AI in education and companies using AI to replace their employees.
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