"One of the most important things a leader can do is provide clarity," von Ahn wrote on LinkedIn. "When I released my AI memo a few weeks ago, I failed to do that."
The clarification came after internal and external pushback against the company's AI strategy, which included replacing some contractors with AI tools and increasing the role of generative AI in content development.
CEO reaffirms employees are not at risk
Von Ahn emphasized that their workforce, known as "Duos," is not endangered. "To be clear: I don’t believe AI will replace the work our employees do (in fact, we’re still hiring at the same pace)," he stated.
He also acknowledged widespread anxiety about AI’s role in the workplace. "AI brings uncertainty for all of us, and we can respond to it with fear or curiosity," he noted. "I’ve consistently encouraged our team to embrace new technologies… and we’re taking the same approach with AI."
According to von Ahn, the goal isn’t to replace humans but to "accelerate what we do while maintaining the same or better quality." Duolingo is introducing workshops, advisory boards, and dedicated AI experimentation time to help teams adapt.
What sparked the controversy?
The initial memo that triggered backlash outlined Duolingo’s bold AI-centric vision. In it, von Ahn wrote that the company would "gradually phase out contractors for tasks that AI can handle."
This shift is part of a broader effort to become "AI-first," driven by course expansions made possible through generative AI.
The company even incentivized AI adoption in performance reviews and hiring processes. Despite assurances, many viewed this as a signal of deeper changes to the labor structure. As of January 2024, Duolingo had cut 10% of its contract workforce, citing efficiency gains from AI-powered content creation. An anonymous former contractor said the cuts were primarily aimed at reducing costs and speeding up production.
Von Ahn admitted there might be quality trade-offs, writing: "We’d rather move quickly and occasionally take small hits on quality than move slowly and miss opportunities."
Shopify and Klarna adopt similar "AI-first" approaches
Duolingo isn’t the only company undergoing such a transformation; others like Shopify and Klarna have also embraced AI-focused shifts. Klarna’s CEO claimed its chatbot now handles the workload of 700 customer service agents.
However, employee resistance is growing. A recent study found that 31% of workers refuse to use AI tools at work, with many fearing job losses or expressing frustration with the tools themselves.
Despite this resistance, von Ahn remains optimistic about AI’s potential. "Our mission hasn’t changed," he wrote. "But the tools we use to create new things will evolve."
