Duolingo is introducing 148 new language programs that have been created with generative AI, the corporate announced on Wednesday. The launch comes as Duolingo has been facing backlash this week after sharing that it was going to exchange contractors with AI and develop into an “AI-first” firm.
The corporate says the launch of the brand new programs doubles its present course choices and marks the biggest enlargement of content material in Duolingo’s historical past.
“Creating our first 100 programs took about 12 years, and now, in a few 12 months, we’re in a position to create and launch almost 150 new programs,” mentioned Duolingo co-founder and CEO Luis von Ahn in a press launch. “This can be a nice instance of how generative AI can straight profit our learners. This launch displays the unimaginable influence of our AI and automation investments, which have allowed us to scale at unprecedented pace and high quality.”
Up to now, it could usually take years to construct a single course on Duolingo, the corporate notes. Now, it was ready to make use of generative AI and different instruments to launch 148 programs in lower than a 12 months.
Whereas Duolingo is touting its use of AI, the corporate is dealing with backlash from customers who’re disheartened by its plans to make use of the expertise to exchange staff and use it extra deeply in its app.
On Monday, von Ahn advised staff in an email that the corporate was shifting to AI and that it could “step by step cease utilizing contractors to do work that AI can deal with.” He additionally wrote that “headcount will solely be given if a group can’t automate extra of their work.”
“Al isn’t only a productiveness increase,” he wrote. “It helps us get nearer to our mission. To show effectively, we have to create a large quantity of content material, and doing that manually doesn’t scale. Top-of-the-line choices we made not too long ago was changing a gradual, guide content material creation course of with one powered by AI. With out Al, it could take us many years to scale our content material to extra learners. We owe it to our learners to get them this content material ASAP.”
Customers have taken to social media to share their displeasure with the corporate’s plans, with some arguing that its use of AI is making the app worse with inaccurate and lower-quality content material. Others have deleted the app and are encouraging others to comply with go well with.
As for the brand new language programs, Duolingo says they’re primarily designed to assist newbie ranges. They embody options corresponding to Tales, which helps develop studying comprehension, and DuoRadio, which helps with listening comprehension. The corporate plans to launch extra superior content material within the coming months.
AI,duolingo
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