The language-learning giant Duolingo is now putting artificial intelligence at the core of its operations. In a message to employees, CEO Luis von Ahn explained that they will begin cutting back on contractor work when AI can handle the same tasks effectively, according to The Verge.
From now on, using AI will play a key role in hiring, performance reviews, and decisions about growing teams. New positions will only be approved if there’s no clear way to automate the work.
Despite the changes, the company says this isn’t about replacing people. The goal is to take repetitive work off employees’ plates so they can focus on more meaningful and creative projects. To help with that, Duolingo plans to provide training and tools so everyone can get more comfortable using AI in their day-to-day work.
One reason behind the new approach is content creation, as Duolingo needs a huge volume of lessons and exercises to meet demand. Building that content by hand is slow and costly. AI has already helped speed up the process and reach more users, and the company wants to build on that progress.
This thinking is becoming more common in tech (Shopify’s CEO recently told employees that AI should be the first option before teams request more resources).
For Duolingo, this feels like a turning point. Back in 2012, the company focused on mobile before most others did — a decision that helped fuel its early success. Now, it’s betting that embracing AI will set the stage for what comes next.
It also reinforces a long-standing concern: AI is beginning to take over work that once relied on human intelligence.
