Duolingo CEO Clarifies AI-First Vision

Recently, Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn faced significant backlash after declaring the company’s transition to an "AI-first" model. In a recent interview, von Ahn clarified that the real issue was a lack of context in his initial communication.

Von Ahn explained that internally, the shift was not seen as controversial. However, as a publicly traded company, external perceptions suggested profit-driven motives or potential human layoffs, which was not the intent.

He stressed that Duolingo hasn't laid off full-time employees and has no plans to do so. While acknowledging that Duolingo reduced its contractor workforce, he indicated that this fluctuation was based on business needs.

Despite external criticisms, which seemingly didn’t affect the company’s performance, von Ahn remains optimistic about AI's potential. Duolingo employees dedicate Friday mornings to explore AI, humorously referred to as “f-r-A-I-days.”