Learning different languages is one of those skills that no one really speaks about but everyone would love to have the ability to do so. Duolingo has been a key player in the world of teaching languages, myself being a beneficiary of their app. There has been some interesting updates from the language-learning realm and it involves a touch of AI magic. Duolingo, the app that's been our go-to for mastering new languages, is shaking things up and it's not just about conquering verb conjugations.
Duolingo has made a staggering 10% cut on their contractors. One would place this cut on probable financial turmoil or low or undesired output from the contractors, but this has nothing to do with that. It is the newest employee in the tech world. Artificial Intelligence is rapidly becoming the alternative to many organizations, apps and companies that deal in the creation and interpretation of data. Duolingo has opted to harness the power of generative AIto revolutionize how we learn different languages.
Duolingo’s spokesman leaked this information regarding the cut recently claiming that with the help of AI, Duolingo is not only enhancing its language courses but also giving its creative process a very needed boost. Imagine having AI-generated scripts for your favorite language lessons delivered at lightning speed. The future of language learning is here and it's bringing a high-tech language lab to your fingertips.
The CEO of Duolingo, Louis Von Ahn spoke more on this matter claiming that the use of generative AI allows users to create text, speech and images faster than ever before. The result? New content that pops up like mushrooms after rain, including scripts for language shows that make learning as entertaining as binge-watching your favorite series.
However this isn't about replacing humans with robots. The Duolingo team assures us that it's not a "straight replacement" game. Many full-time employees and contractors at Duolingo are riding the AI wave, using this technology to sprinkle some digital touch on their language lessons. In any case, this is where the future is heading , so you either get with it or get left behind.
Nevertheless we need to address the elephant in the room; job cuts. Duolingo bid farewell to some contractors, citing the shift towards efficiency and the AI revolution. It's a move that's making waves in the tech world, raising questions about the future of employment in the age of artificial intelligence. As any employee , the fear of being made irrelevant in the future is always looming and plenty of organizations are heading that way, start-ups as well are opting to use Generative AI for a lot of their marketing and sales strategies.
Duolingo are still adamant to make the point that they are not replacing humans with robots stating that it is all part of the evolution and re-shaping of duolingo for the future market. Duolingo can already claim this to be a good move as their shares soared by 3.4%, proving that investors are as excited as we are about the AI-infused future of language learning.
This isn't the first of the companies exploring the new AI frontier. Chegg Inc. and IBM just to name a few are also dipping their toes into the AI pool, aiming to enhance services and streamline operations. It's a brave new world out there, where generative AI in the form of chatbots help with homework and AI-generated feedback becomes your language learning guide.
As we navigate this linguistic landscape, let's remember to look at the bigger picture. The World Economic Forum predicts a "significant labor-market disruption" as they phrased it due to AI in the next five years. But with great challenges come great opportunities. Microsoft in collaboration with unions, is gearing up and preparing courses to train people about AI and its impact on employment. As well as on how to remain relevant with the use of AI in the job market.
In this era we have a chance to advance communications and bridge diversities by the use of Artificial Intelligence and that is exactly what Duolingo has noted and is working with. So let's embrace the AI wave hitting Duolingo and other corners of the tech universe. The future is bright, multilingual and filled with the hum of AI-generated conversations. The true unanswered question is AI going to disrupt humanity or is AI going to be part and parcel of the evolution of humanity?
