Why Real-Time Translation Isn’t Seen as an Imminent Threat
Luis von Ahn, Duolingo’s cofounder and CEO addressed growing concerns at an innovation festival in New York that AI-powered live translation features from big tech companies could undermine Duolingo’s relevance. When announcements like new live translation capabilities were announced by these big tech firms, some investors saw Duolingo stock temporarily dip. But von Ahn countered by noting that people using Duolingo don’t use Duolingo for shortcuts – rather, they want to engage in learning languages rather than having translations done for them – because those seeking real understanding don’t rely on live translation tools as much.
Duolingo Is Used by Many for Multiple Reasons
Von Ahn has noted that Duolingo users generally fall into two main groups. The first includes individuals learning essential languages like English for practical reasons – these users desire mastery and growth rather than instant translation – whereas another group uses language learning more like learning chess: they find the experience enjoyable as it challenges their minds or provides cognitive satisfaction that mere translation cannot match.
Duolingo Has Adopted AI Internally
Von Ahn is not opposed to AI; his company Duolingo actively incorporates AI into its operations. Early this year he released plans for Duolingo to become “AI-first,” sparking fears among some that this might mean job cuts for full-time staff; von Ahn was quick to disprove them by emphasizing how Duolingo uses AI simply augment work efficiently by producing more learning materials faster and augmenting employee work with it.
Content Creation at Scale
One key impact of AI within Duolingo is its rapid creation of new content. Projects like Duolingo’s Chess Lessons were produced with minimal initial staff by employing AI tools, showing how automation can expand offerings without diminishing quality. AI fits within Duolingo’s strategy for improving and diversifying language experiences while keeping human creativity and oversight centralized to this endeavor.
Looking Ahead: Confronting Instant Answers
Von Ahn’s argument underscores a core truth about learning in an AI world: people seek growth and understanding over instant answers. While real-time translation may make communication simpler, mastery of new languages remains rewarding for individuals themselves and Duolingo has established its future not through competing against translation tools but by equipping learners to think, communicate and connect across languages.
