After facing significant backlash over its recent AI-driven plans, Duolingo has made a clear and noticeable reversal in its approach. Luis von Ahn, the company’s CEO and co-founder, has now emphasized that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will not be used to replace human employees at the popular language-learning platform. Instead, he framed AI as a supportive tool designed to enhance and improve the work of the existing teams.
In a LinkedIn post shared on Thursday, von Ahn reassured users and employees that Duolingo is continuing to hire at its usual pace and remains committed to helping its workforce adapt to new technologies. He explained, “The sooner we learn how to use [AI], and use it responsibly, the better off we will be in the long run.” To that end, the company is organizing workshops and allotting dedicated time for employees to experiment with AI tools, ensuring everyone gains hands-on experience and comfort with these emerging technologies.
This announcement comes just days after Duolingo drew criticism for appearing to place too much reliance on AI. Previously, the company had hinted at reducing the number of human contractors for tasks AI could potentially automate, and indicated that future hiring might hinge on whether roles could be replaced by AI. Von Ahn’s podcast comments suggesting AI could outperform human language teachers further fueled user concerns.
The reaction on social media was swift and vocal. Duolingo’s accounts on TikTok and Instagram were inundated with negative feedback, with many followers questioning if real people were still involved in running the app. In response, Duolingo released a playful video featuring von Ahn himself, aiming to reassure users that AI would be a tool for growth rather than a replacement for people.
A company spokesperson also told Fortune that Duolingo is not scaling back hiring efforts. They stressed that all AI-generated content undergoes review by language learning experts, ensuring lessons remain accurate, safe, and aligned with international standards.
Duolingo’s course correction is part of a wider trend among tech companies reassessing their AI strategies after initial hype. For instance, fintech app Klarna revised its AI chatbot plans after the tool failed to meet quality expectations, and Shopify faced criticism for suggesting AI could reduce the need for human hiring.
Adding to the cautious stance on AI, recent research challenges some of the optimistic projections about AI’s impact on productivity. A National Bureau of Economic Research study tracking 25,000 workers in AI-affected industries found little to no significant improvements in earnings or efficiency, suggesting that the transformative potential of AI may be more limited or slower to materialize than initially thought.
