What did Duolingo CEO say?

Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn sparked controversy in mid-2025 by declaring an "AI-first" company vision, suggesting AI could eventually replace human teachers for better learning outcomes, but schools would remain for childcare, a statement that drew heavy online backlash and implied workforce shifts. After significant criticism, he walked back some comments, clarifying AI serves as a tool to enhance learning and efficiency, not fully replace staff, and emphasized human oversight and quality control for content.

What did the Duolingo CEO say about AI?

Luis von Ahn, co-founder and CEO, took to LinkedIn on Thursday to walk back a previous stance pushing AI use over human employees. “To be clear: I do not see AI as replacing what our employees do (we are in fact continuing to hire at the same speed as before),” he wrote.

Has Duolingo apologized yet?

Duolingo has issued an apology after a user expressed shock at a lesson that appeared to criticise Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.

Why are people stopping using Duolingo?

Many users fear that AI-generated lessons might lack the nuance and cultural accuracy that human-created content provides. The controversy escalated when Duolingo announced it would phase out contract workers for tasks AI can handle, leading to concerns about automation replacing human expertise.

When Duolingo CEO says AI is a better teacher than humans but schools will still exist because you still need childcare?

Duolingo CEO says AI is a better teacher than humans—but schools will still exist 'because you still need childcare' Duolingo's founder and CEO Luis von Ahn believes there's nothing a computer can't teach—but says schools won't go extinct because people need childcare.

How to Make Learning as Addictive as Social Media | Duolingo's Luis Von Ahn | TED

Is Duolingo CEO on AI replacing humans?

Duolingo CEO: AI makes my employees 'four or five times' as productive—without laying off a single human. Luis von Ahn, co-founder and chief executive officer of Duolingo Inc., during a Bloomberg Television interview in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US, on Thursday, March 13, 2025.

What is the 10 20 70 rule for AI?

The 10/20/70 rule for AI implementation emphasizes that success hinges most on people and processes (70%), less on technology and data (20%), and least on the algorithms themselves (10%). This model, popularized by consulting firms like Boston Consulting Group (BCG), highlights that while technology is crucial, the biggest challenge is integrating AI into workflows, managing cultural change, and upskilling workforces for real value creation.
 

Why is Duolingo pushing LGBTQ?

Duolingo includes LGBTQ+ characters and themes in its lessons because it's committed to reflecting the diversity of its global audience, normalizing LGBTQ+ identities as part of everyday life, and promoting inclusivity through representation, with characters like Bea and Oscar showing diverse orientations without sensationalism, though this has led to investigations in countries like Russia where such content is restricted.
 

Is Duolingo banned in any country?

From August 2021 to June 2022, the Duolingo language learning app was removed from some app stores in China.

Why is Duolingo not good anymore?

One of the worst thing about Duolingo is there is no clear grammar guide . This is why I think Duolingo is only supplement to learn languages, and never be the replacement of other classes.

Is Oscar from Duolingo LGBTQ?

Yes, Oscar from Duolingo is canonically LGBTQ+; he is gay, meaning he is attracted to men, and is officially recognized by Duolingo as one of their queer characters, alongside Bea (bisexual) and Lin (lesbian/genderqueer).
 

Why does my Duolingo say 403 forbidden?

The 403 Forbidden error indicates that the server understands the request but can't provide additional access. This means that the web page you're trying to open in your browser is a resource that you're not allowed to access.

Will Duolingo teach me swear words?

No, but they teach a lot of stupid words, like ones you may never even need but they are fixated on. One example in French is their obsession with various types of owls. Gerald Lund firvortoj - "shame words" (the spell check keeps deleting the r).

Why is Duolingo's mascot dead?

Duolingo's mascot faked his death to get users to do their daily lessons, and attention from pop star Dua Lipa. Here's how he masterminded it — and why one expert sees the campaign as a success.

Why do people say not to use Duolingo?

In the translation exercises (which are the bulk of what Duolingo is about), the software is programmed to only accept one right answer. This is problematic as most languages have many ways of saying the same thing. Students who input an answer that is right but not recognised on Duolingo may think they are wrong.

Did Duolingo fire their employees for AI?

Duolingo CEO admits his controversial AI memo 'did not give enough context' and insists the company never laid off full-time employees. Billionaire Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn has a message for his employees: He doesn't want to lay them off.

Why are people canceling Duolingo?

As it leans deeper into AI, the soul of the platform—the human connection behind language—is getting lost. Language learning isn't just about memorizing words. It's about connecting with people. And until Duolingo can get back to that core, many users will keep saying: “No thanks, Duo and I am one of them.

Is 70 a good Duolingo score?

Generally, scores above 120 are considered strong and indicative of advanced English proficiency. Scores between 90 and 119 are considered passing and typically sufficient for academic admissions, while scores below 90 may require additional language support or preparation.

Why does Duolingo not have British English?

The reason why the English language represented on Duolingo primarily uses the flag of the United States of America rather than the flag of Australia, Canada, Malta, South Africa, Singapore, New Zealand, England or the United Kingdom is because according to CEO Luis von Ahn, he said that he "teaches such variant of ...

Why is Duolingo controversial?

And while using AI to replace workers is and will continue to be a controversial topic, Duolingo's use of the tools allowed it to more than double its language course offerings, which surely brought in new users who want to learn less popular languages more than they're interested in the implications of AI use.

What's better, Babbel or Duolingo?

Babbel is better for serious learners wanting structured grammar and real conversation, while Duolingo excels at fun, gamified vocabulary building for casual learners, making them a great pair: Babbel as the core, Duolingo for supplement. Babbel offers deeper, linguist-designed lessons and cultural context, whereas Duolingo's addictive streaks and free access motivate consistency, though it's less thorough. 

What is Duolingo's weak word?

Re: New feature on Duolingo: weak word

Theoretically, these are words that haven't popped up lately in your course, so the algorithm recommends giving them another look to make sure you still remember them.

What country is #1 in AI?

Stanford HAI Tool Ranks 36 Countries in AI 1. U.S. Leads the Global AI Race The United States remains the dominant force in AI, outpacing other nations in almost every key area. In 2023, it: • Attracted $67.2 billion in private AI investments (compared to China's $7.8 billion).

Which 3 jobs will survive AI?

Which Jobs Are Safest from AI and Automation?

• Health Care: Nurses, doctors, therapists, and counselors.
• Education: Teachers, instructors, and school administrators.
• Creative: Musicians, artists, writers, and journalists.
• Personal Services: Hairdressers, cosmetologists, personal trainers, and coaches.

What are the 5 biggest AI fails?

• Volkswagen's Cariad Billion-Dollar AI Fail.
• Taco Bell's Drive-Thru AI Gone Wrong.
• Google AI Overviews: The Hallucination Problem.
• Arup Deepfake Heist: $25 Million Stolen.
• Replit "Rogue Agent": Complete Database Deletion.
• McDonald's & Paradox.ai: 64 Million Records Exposed.
• UnitedHealth & Humana: Algorithmic Care Denial.