Duolingo to replace contract workers with AI, go ‘AI-first’

According to an email posted on Duolingo’s (DUOL) LinkedIn account and originally sent by co-founder and CEO Luis von Ahn, Duolingo will “gradually stop using contractors to do work that AI can handle,” as it looks to be “AI-first.” “Being AI-first means we will need to rethink much of how we work. Making minor tweaks to systems designed for humans won’t get us there. In many cases, we’ll need to start from scratch. We’re not going to rebuild everything overnight, and some things-like getting AI to understand our codebase-will take time. However, we can’t wait until the technology is 100% perfect… We’ll gradually stop using contractors to do work that AI can handle; AI will be part of what we look for in hiring; AI use will be part of what we evaluate in performance reviews; Headcount will only be given if a team cannot automate more of their work; Most functions will have specific initiatives to fundamentally change how they work. All of this said, Duolingo will remain a company that cares deeply about its employees.”