In a strategic move aligning with the evolving landscape of technology, Duolingo, the widely-used language-learning app, has recently laid off 10% of its contract translators. This restructuring reflects the company’s increasing reliance on generative artificial intelligence (AI) to curate and develop content, as confirmed by a Duolingo spokesperson.
Duolingo’s AI Integration and Workforce Restructuring
The company acknowledges that the reduction in the contract workforce is partially attributed to the advancements in AI technology. The spokesperson explained, “We just no longer need as many people to do the type of work some of these contractors were doing. Part of that could be attributed to AI.”
Sam Dalsimer, Global Head of Communications at Duolingo, clarified the nuanced role of AI within the organization. While AI contributes to reducing the contract workforce, it is not the sole reason behind the layoffs. Duolingo leverages AI across various functions, and Dalsimer emphasized its multifaceted use within the company.
AI’s Coexistence with Human Workforce at Duolingo
Despite the integration of AI, Duolingo underscores the essential roles played by both contract and staff employees in validating and refining AI-generated outputs for accuracy. These responsibilities encompass generating sentences and acceptable translations. The company has actively sought alternative roles for the affected contractors.
Duolingo is committed to enhancing its technological infrastructure and has announced plans to fill two new AI positions. One role focuses on personalizing the app experience, while the other aims to refine speech-related functionalities.
AI’s Role in Enhancing Efficiency, Not Replacing Jobs
Dalsimer clarified Duolingo’s stance on AI and job displacement, stating that the intention is to streamline processes and allow translators to focus on more intricate tasks, rather than replacing human jobs outright.
Amid these changes, Duolingo shared impressive statistics from 2023, indicating over 23 billion lessons completed on the app and 8.4 million active learners engaged in studying Hindi. The Language Report 2023 released by Duolingo highlighted a cumulative learning duration of nearly one and a half billion hours on the app, with more than 32 million individuals worldwide studying multiple languages throughout the year.
