Duolingo, the popular language learning platform, is embracing an “AI-first” strategy, signalling a significant shift in its operational model. In an all-hands email shared on Duolingo’s LinkedIn account, co-founder and CEO Luis von Ahn announced this strategic pivot, stating that the company will “gradually stop using contractors to do work that AI can handle.”
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According to von Ahn, adopting an “AI-first” approach necessitates a fundamental re-evaluation of the company’s work processes. He emphasized that “making minor tweaks to systems designed for humans won’t get us there,” implying a need for more radical changes. As part of this strategic shift, Duolingo will implement several “constructive constraints,” including the gradual reduction of contractor usage for tasks automatable by AI, the integration of AI proficiency as a factor in hiring and performance reviews, and a new guideline stipulating that “headcount will only be given if a team cannot automate more of their work.”
Despite this increased focus on AI, von Ahn reassured employees that “Duolingo will remain a company that cares deeply about its employees” and clarified that “this isn’t about replacing Duos with AI.” Instead, he framed these changes as a means of “removing bottlenecks” to enable employees to “focus on creative work and real problems, not repetitive tasks.” The company intends to support this transition by providing enhanced training, mentorship, and AI-powered tools for various functions within the organization.
Von Ahn underscored the transformative potential of AI, stating, “AI isn’t just a productivity boost. It helps us get closer to our mission. To teach well, we need to create a massive amount of content and doing that manually doesn’t scale.” He cited the recent success of replacing a slow, manual content creation process with one driven by AI as a key example. Without AI, von Ahn argued, scaling content to reach more learners would take decades, emphasizing the company’s responsibility to deliver this content as quickly as possible. He also highlighted AI’s role in enabling the development of previously impossible features, such as Video Call, bringing the quality of teaching closer to that of the best human tutors.
Von Ahn’s memo echoes a similar sentiment recently expressed by Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke, who emphasized the need for teams to justify new headcount and resources by demonstrating why AI could not fulfil their needs.
In his official memo, von Ahn explicitly stated Duolingo’s commitment to becoming “AI-first,” framing it as a crucial platform shift akin to the company’s early embrace of mobile in 2012. Just as betting on mobile led to significant growth and recognition, von Ahn believes that prioritizing AI will be equally transformative. He reiterated that AI is not merely about enhancing productivity but is fundamental to achieving Duolingo’s mission of effective and scalable education. The urgency of this transition was stressed, with von Ahn stating a preference for rapid iteration with occasional quality hiccups over slow progress that could lead to missing the current AI momentum.
To guide this “AI-first” transition, von Ahn outlined the aforementioned “constructive constraints,” emphasizing the gradual shift away from contractors for AI-automatable tasks, the integration of AI skills into hiring and performance evaluations, and the automation-first approach to headcount allocation. He also indicated that most functions within the company will undertake specific initiatives to fundamentally reimagine their workflows through the lens of AI.
Von Ahn concluded his memo by expressing confidence in this strategic direction, emphasizing its potential to better deliver on Duolingo’s mission and to ensure that its employees (“Duos”) remain at the forefront of leveraging technology to achieve their goals. He acknowledged that change can be unsettling but expressed optimism about the positive impact of this “AI-first” future for Duolingo.
