Duolingo, the popular language learning app, has made significant changes to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) into its platform. As part of this transition, the company recently laid off approximately 10% of its contract workers. The move was made in order to accommodate the AI-related advancements in content generation and sharing. It is important to note that no full-time employees were affected by the layoffs, and Duolingo made efforts to find alternative roles for the contractors before resorting to termination.
Duolingo has been actively integrating AI into its platform to enhance the user experience. Earlier this year, the company introduced a subscription tier called “Duolingo Max,” which utilizes OpenAI’s advanced language model GPT-4. This feature allows users to engage in full conversations with AI-powered chatbots and receive AI-generated explanations for correct or incorrect answers.
The implementation of AI will enable Duolingo to automate various tasks previously done by humans. AI will be used to generate sentences for language courses, compile lists of acceptable translations, and review user error reports to ensure quicker corrections. However, Duolingo asserts that human experts will continue to play a role in verifying AI-generated content and maintaining the quality of language courses.
The company’s decision to rely more on AI aligns with a growing trend in the education technology sector. A survey conducted by ResumeBuilder revealed that 37% of companies reported using AI to replace workers in 2023, and 44% anticipate further layoffs caused by AI in 2024. Other organizations, such as Chegg and Dropbox, have also made cuts to their workforce while emphasizing the integration of AI strategies.
While there are concerns about potential job displacement due to AI advancements, industry leaders like IBM CEO Arvind Krishna and Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn believe that AI will ultimately create more jobs than it eliminates. They view AI as a tool to enhance productivity, efficiency, and the overall learning experience.
As Duolingo continues to leverage AI to improve its language learning platform, it remains committed to providing high-quality education and helping users reach higher levels of proficiency.
The source of the article is from the blog mendozaextremo.com.ar