Duolingo backs AI over manual work

Staff will receive training and tools to adapt to AI, as Duolingo phases out manual, repetitive content creation.
Duolingo will stop hiring contractors for tasks AI can handle, focusing instead on creative work and AI-integrated operations.

Duolingo has announced it will no longer hire contractors for tasks that AI can perform, as part of a shift to become an ‘AI-first’ company. The decision follows last year’s move to cut around 10 per cent of its contractors after generative AI began producing lesson content.

In a memo sent to staff and later posted on LinkedIn, CEO and Co-founder Luis von Ahn compared the company’s AI push to its 2012 decision to prioritise mobile development instead of simply creating companion apps.

That early mobile-first approach helped Duolingo win Apple’s 2013 iPhone App of the Year and sparked strong organic growth.

The company will now embed AI deeply into its operations. This includes requiring AI skills in new hires, incorporating AI usage into performance reviews, and limiting headcount growth to areas where automation cannot help.

Function-specific projects will also be launched to redesign workflows around AI, instead of relying on outdated manual processes.

Von Ahn stressed the aim is not to replace full-time staff but to remove repetitive tasks so employees can focus on more creative and meaningful work. Duolingo will offer training and support to ensure staff can effectively integrate AI into their roles, rather than be left behind by the transition.

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