Duolingo announced on Wednesday the introduction of 148 new language courses, all generated using artificial intelligence. This rollout effectively doubles the company’s existing catalog, marking the largest content expansion in its history.
Luis von Ahn, co-founder and CEO of Duolingo, highlighted the significant acceleration AI has brought to course creation, noting that while it took approximately 12 years to develop the first 100 courses, the company managed to develop nearly 150 new courses within just one year. Von Ahn described this advancement as a clear demonstration of generative AI’s potential to significantly enhance scalability and content quality.
Despite highlighting AI as a critical element of its educational mission, Duolingo is currently navigating substantial backlash. Earlier in the week, the company faced criticism after announcing plans to transition toward fully automating certain roles traditionally filled by contractors. In an internal email, von Ahn stated the organization would gradually cease employing contractors for tasks that can be managed by AI, emphasizing that future headcount expansions would focus narrowly on roles that could not yet be automated.
Von Ahn defended this approach, suggesting that AI-driven automation is crucial to scaling rapidly and effectively serving a broader learner base. He stressed that a manual process for generating content would significantly slow down efforts to reach more users in a timely manner.
However, Duolingo’s pivot has drawn negative reactions from users. Some voiced their concerns about declining content accuracy and overall quality due to increased AI dependence, prompting certain individuals to publicly abandon the app and encourage others to follow suit.
Most of Duolingo’s new AI-generated courses currently target beginner language learners. These courses incorporate interactive features designed to bolster different skills, including Stories for improving reading comprehension and DuoRadio for enhancing listening abilities. Duolingo plans to introduce more advanced content developed with AI in the coming months.
