Duolingo initially included AI usage as part of its employee performance reviews, sparking some pushback from staff who questioned the value of using AI just for its own sake. CEO Luis von Ahn confirmed the company has since stepped back from this approach, emphasizing that job performance will now be judged on overall results rather than AI use alone. While Duolingo embraced an “AI-first” strategy last year, even suggesting less new hiring if roles could be automated, this too met resistance and was reconsidered. Von Ahn noted AI tools have accelerated productivity and enabled many new language courses, but also highlighted limitations, such as AI’s struggles with consistent narrative generation and coding accuracy. Despite these challenges, Von Ahn affirmed that no layoffs have occurred, as employee productivity has grown with AI assistance. Duolingo’s recent financial outlook shows steady growth but falls short of some expectations.
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