Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn pushed back against criticism over his declaration that the company would become an “AI-first company.” In a new interview, he admitted the reaction stemmed largely from a lack of context in how he explained the shift.
“Internally, this was not controversial,” von Ahn said. “Externally, as a publicly traded company some people assume that it’s just for profit. Or that we’re trying to lay off humans. And that was not the intent at all.”
No Plans for Full-Time Layoffs
Von Ahn stressed that Duolingo has “never laid off any full-time employees” and that there are no plans to do so. He acknowledged that the company had reduced contractor numbers at times, but described that as normal for a business that adapts its workforce to operational needs.
“From the beginning, our contractor workforce has gone up and down depending on needs,” he explained.
Despite the controversy, von Ahn remains confident about AI’s role in Duolingo’s future. The company sets aside Friday mornings for employees to experiment with AI projects, reinforcing its belief in the technology’s potential.
“It’s a bad acronym, f-r-A-I-days,” he joked. “I don’t know how to pronounce it.”
What The Author Thinks
This whole situation shows how tricky it is for companies to talk about AI without sounding like they’re replacing people. Von Ahn may genuinely believe in AI’s promise, but if employees or the public feel sidelined, the trust gap widens. The challenge isn’t just about building smarter tools—it’s about proving that humans remain central to the vision.
Featured image credit: appshunter via Unsplash
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