Duolingo has announced a significant expansion of its course offerings, planning to more than double the number of languages available. The company attributes this rapid development to the integration of generative AI technologies, which has allowed it to create these new courses in less than a year.
In a statement released today, Duolingo revealed that it is launching 148 new language courses. This launch will make the company’s seven most popular non-English languages—Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin—accessible in all 28 supported user interface languages, significantly broadening learning opportunities for over a billion potential users globally.
Historically, the process of creating a new course has taken Duolingo several years. However, the company was able to accelerate this process through advancements in generative AI, shared content systems, and enhanced internal tools. According to Duolingo, this innovative approach, referred to internally as “shared content,” enables staff to establish a base course that can be swiftly tailored for multiple languages.
Jessie Becker, Duolingo’s senior director of learning design, emphasized the benefits of generative AI, stating that it allows the company to focus its expertise on content creation that meets its strict quality standards. “By using generative AI to create and validate content, we ensure that every course is high-quality,” she noted.
This announcement comes on the heels of a memo from cofounder and CEO Luis von Ahn, in which he outlined a strategy for the company to adopt an “AI-first” approach. In the memo, von Ahn indicated that Duolingo would gradually reduce reliance on contractors for tasks that could be automated by AI, with evaluations of AI usage to be integrated into hiring practices and performance reviews. Additionally, he stated that new hires would only be sanctioned if teams cannot automate their work processes.
In a conversation with Technology News, spokesperson Sam Dalsimer explained the company’s vision of leveraging technology to teach as effectively as a human tutor. He mentioned that AI has made this aspiration more achievable than ever. Dalsimer remarked that transitioning away from a manual content creation system to an AI-enhanced process, guided by learning design experts, has transformed their operations and enabled the launch of 148 new language courses today.
Dalsimer noted that Duolingo has been experimenting with AI for several years and would not be undertaking this new content strategy if it were not confident in the technology. The company is continuously testing and refining its AI models and has implemented systems to ensure that AI-generated content adheres to its quality standards and aligns with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, a benchmark for language proficiency.
While many teams within Duolingo are already utilizing AI in their operations, Dalsimer acknowledged that the recent memo has elicited some negative feedback. Nonetheless, he clarified that there are no plans to reduce full-time staff or halt hiring; any adjustments to contractor roles will be assessed individually.
