“No one is expected to navigate this shift alone. We’re developing workshops…”
FORTUNE
Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn has walked back earlier comments suggesting AI could replace contract workers, amid mounting criticism from users and tech watchers. “To be clear: I do not see AI as replacing what our employees do,” von Ahn wrote on LinkedIn. “We are in fact continuing to hire at the same speed as before.”
The clarification follows backlash to Duolingo’s previous claim that it would reduce contractor roles in favor of AI, and evaluate staff based on AI fluency. Von Ahn also said AI would surpass human teachers, causing further uproar.
Facing public outcry — including sarcastic TikTok comments and social media backlash — Duolingo emphasized it is investing in employee training, workshops, and quality controls for AI integration.
A spokesperson told Fortune, “We’re still growing our team… all AI content is created under guidance of our learning experts.”
Duolingo joins a growing list of tech firms, including Klarna and Shopify, now retreating from aggressive “AI-first” hiring and productivity strategies.