Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn addressed recent criticism regarding his “AI-first company” declaration, stating the controversy arose from insufficient context. Von Ahn clarified to The New York Times that the internal reception at Duolingo was not controversial, contrasting it with external perceptions. He noted that as a publicly traded company, some observers assumed the declaration was solely profit-driven or intended for human employee layoffs.
Von Ahn affirmed that Duolingo has not initiated layoffs of any full-time employees and does not plan to do so. While acknowledging reductions in the contractor workforce, he indicated that the size of this workforce has historically fluctuated according to operational requirements. Despite external criticism, von Ahn expressed continued optimism regarding artificial intelligence’s potential. Duolingo team members dedicate Friday mornings to exploring AI technology, a practice referred to as “f-r-A-I-days,” a term von Ahn described as a “bad acronym.”
