Duolingo is Letting Go of Workers for an All AI Company

Duolingo is officially shifting to an AI-first model, according to an all-hands email by CEO and co-founder Luis von Ahn. In a memo posted to Duolingo’s LinkedIn account, von Ahn announced that the company will gradually phase out contractors for tasks that AI can perform, while integrating AI use into hiring, performance reviews, and future staffing decisions.

Major Changes Underway

According to von Ahn, becoming AI-first will require Duolingo to rethink how it works from the ground up. Instead of making minor adjustments to human-centered systems, the company plans to rebuild processes where necessary to fully embrace AI’s capabilities.

Among the immediate steps, Duolingo will:

• Reduce reliance on contractors for AI-manageable work,
• Evaluate AI usage during hiring and employee performance reviews,
• Limit headcount growth to cases where automation is not feasible.

Von Ahn emphasized that Duolingo will continue to support its employees through mentorship, training, and tooling for AI integration. He clarified that the move isn’t about replacing people but about removing bottlenecks so employees can focus on creative and impactful work.

Why Duolingo Is Betting Big on AI

Von Ahn framed AI not just as a productivity boost but as a crucial driver for achieving Duolingo’s mission. Previously, manual content creation processes slowed growth. Now, AI enables Duolingo to scale content quickly, reaching more learners worldwide. Additionally, AI advancements allow the company to develop features like AI-driven video calls, aiming to match the quality of the best human tutors.

Drawing a comparison to the company’s early mobile-first bet in 2012, which helped secure the 2013 iPhone App of the Year, von Ahn stressed that moving aggressively into AI will be equally transformative.

A Broader Shift Across Tech

Duolingo’s move mirrors a similar AI-first push at other tech companies. Recently, Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke issued a memo requiring teams to justify any new hiring requests by proving that AI cannot complete the work. The trend signals a growing expectation that AI proficiency will be a core skill across tech industries.

Von Ahn acknowledged that change may feel unsettling, but insisted that acting now is critical. “The worst thing you can do is wait,” he wrote, encouraging employees to embrace the shift and help keep Duolingo ahead of the curve.