Duolingo said it just doubled its language courses thanks to AI

The Verge - Apr 30th, 2025

Duolingo has announced the launch of 148 new language courses, significantly expanding its offerings by leveraging generative AI. This move allows the company's seven most popular non-English languages to be available in all 28 supported UI languages, potentially reaching over a billion learners worldwide. The rapid development, once taking years per course, was achieved in less than a year through innovations in AI and internal systems, termed 'shared content.' This approach enables the creation of a base course, which can then be rapidly customized for numerous languages, ensuring high-quality standards are maintained.

The announcement aligns with Duolingo's strategic shift towards becoming an 'AI-first' company, as outlined in a memo by cofounder and CEO Luis von Ahn. The company plans to reduce reliance on contractors for tasks AI can manage, incorporating AI proficiency into hiring and performance evaluations. Despite some negative reactions to this transition, Duolingo reassures that there are no plans to cut full-time staff and any changes to contractor roles will be individualized. The move highlights Duolingo's commitment to leveraging AI for teaching efficacy, marking a significant evolution in their educational approach and potentially setting a new standard in language learning technology.

Education Technology Generative Ai Duolingo Luis Von Ahn Language Learning Ai Strategy

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RATING

7.2

Fair Story

Consider it well-founded

The article provides a detailed account of Duolingo's ambitious expansion of its language courses using AI. It effectively communicates the company's strategic direction and the potential benefits of integrating AI into educational content creation. However, the story could benefit from a more balanced presentation by including diverse perspectives and exploring the broader implications of these changes. While the factual claims are largely accurate, additional verification and exploration of certain areas, such as the historical development time for courses and the specific role of AI, would enhance the article's credibility. Overall, the piece is timely and relevant, addressing important themes in technology and education, but could be more engaging and impactful with a deeper examination of the potential controversies involved.

Accuracy

The news story presents a number of factual claims that are largely supported by available information. Duolingo's announcement of launching 148 new language courses is a verifiable fact, corroborated by multiple sources. The claim that these courses were developed in less than a year using generative AI is plausible given the technological advancements in AI, although the exact timeline would benefit from further verification. The story also accurately reports Duolingo's strategy to employ AI more extensively, which aligns with statements from the company's leadership. However, the details regarding the historical time taken to develop courses and the specific role of AI in content creation may require additional evidence to confirm their accuracy fully.

Balance

The article primarily focuses on Duolingo's perspective, detailing the company's technological advancements and strategic shifts. While it provides a comprehensive view of the company's plans and the potential benefits of using AI, it could be more balanced by including perspectives from language educators, AI ethicists, or affected contractors. The mention of 'negative reactions' to the AI-first strategy is brief and lacks depth, which could have provided a more rounded view of the implications of these changes.

Clarity

The article is written in clear and concise language, making it accessible to a broad audience. The structure is logical, with a coherent flow of information detailing the new courses, the role of AI, and the company's strategic direction. However, some technical aspects, such as the specifics of the generative AI technology used, could be explained in more detail to enhance understanding for readers unfamiliar with AI advancements.

Source quality

The article cites statements from Duolingo's senior director of learning design and other company representatives, which are credible sources for the information presented. However, the reliance on company insiders means there's a potential for bias, as external expert opinions or independent analyses are not included. This limits the breadth of perspectives and could affect the perceived impartiality of the reporting.

Transparency

The story provides transparency regarding the source of its information, primarily relying on statements from Duolingo executives. However, it lacks detailed explanations of the methodologies used to develop the courses and the specific AI technologies employed. Additionally, while it mentions negative reactions to the AI-first strategy, it does not explore these sentiments in depth, which would offer greater transparency into the potential downsides of the strategy.