Duolingo goes rogue amid 'AI-first' backlash

Last week, online language learning app Duolingo wiped its usual social media content, replacing it with a full-blown takeover by one of its bird-like team members, a three-eyed, hoodie-wearing rebel owl. A check by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE this morning (26 May) found that the brand has since restored its original posts.

The unhinged move follows the company’s declaration that it was going “AI-first". In a LinkedIn post this April, Duolingo unveiled its pivot to AI, likening it to its 2012 leap from desktop to mobile. The post included a screenshot of an all-hands email from Luis von Ahn, CEO of Duolingo, officially marking the shift.

However, not everyone was chirping with excitement. Since its announcement, Duolingo’s "AI first" operating model has been met with mixed reactions, with some users criticising the focus on quantity over quality. According to media intelligence firm CARMA, in Asia, conversations around the matter are 26.1% positive and 26.5% negative. While globally, the sentiments are 24.5% positive and 41.1% negative.

Don't miss: Duolingo goes AI-first, scales back contractors in strategic shift 

Before the statement was released, words such as “good,” “helpful,” and “love” were commonly associated with Duolingo, according to CARMA.

Afterward, the tone shifted, with the word cloud featuring more negative terms such as “delete,” “quitting,” and “wrong.”

CARMA added that while some users are deleting the Duolingo app in protest, others have voiced concerns about potential job losses resulting from the shift. Some are simply calling for a clearer explanation of the company’s decision.

The owl strikes back

Following the backlash, Duolingo scrubbed its social media content, leaving users online confused as to what the quirky owl was going to do next. Shortly after, the three-eyed member of Duo's social media team came forward to "expose" the brand. 

"I've had it with the CEOs and those in power. It is time we show them who's in charge. We taught the green bird how to twerk. We put him on the map, only for the elite to ruin it all. Everything came crashing down with one single post about AI," the bird said. 

The owl claimed that the recent “death” of Duo, the brand’s beloved mascot, was a sign of deeper unrest at the company. "We were just told to 'act normal', but I haven’t had one normal thought since 2022. No more wearing that sweaty suit, no more taking the fall. We can't just move on and pretend that everything is fine. It isn't. No owl should be above the law and no, they can’t stop me," it added. 

After the ominous video was released, Duolingo wasted no time in dropping another clip, this time, a staged chat between the rebel bird and CEO von Ahn. The owl demanded accountability, saying it wanted answers from the “man who caused this mess". 

In the video, von Ahn stood by the company’s AI pivot but clarified that employees, not AI, were the reason for Duolingo’s success, from the product itself to its viral social media presence. He said Duolingo not only plans to retain its current staff but is also continuing to hire.

"AI is a fundamental shift. It's going to change how we all do work, including me, and honestly, I don't really know what's going to happen, but I want us as a company to have our workforce prepared by really knowing how to use AI so that we can be more efficient with it," he said. 

von Ahn acknowledged that language learning is rooted in human connection but argued that AI can help Duolingo scale and reach more learners. As an example, he cited the development of 100 new courses in under a year, with human oversight, compared to the decade it took to build the first 100.

While he admitted the memo may have been poorly communicated, he clarified that the goal is to empower employees, not replace them.

Additionally, von Ahn took to LinkedIn to comment on the matter, emphasising that while AI will fundamentally change how the world works, it should be approached with curiosity, not fear.

"My goal is for Duos to feel empowered and prepared to use this technology. No one is expected to navigate this shift alone. We’re developing workshops and advisory councils and carving out dedicated experimentation time to help all our teams learn and adapt," he said, adding that Duolingo’s mission to make high-quality education accessible remains unchanged, and that people are still at the heart of it.

In January last year, Duolingo reportedly cut approximately 10% of its contractors in a move towards adopting generative AI to develop content. According to CNN at the time, Duolingo let go of some contractors at the end of 2023 to make room for AI-related changes in how it generates and shares content. The company also reportedly said that no full-time employees were affected, and that it turned to “off-boarding” as a last resort when alternate roles for affected staff could not be found.

Meanwhile, other companies have also taken on a similar path. In February this year, American cloud-based software company Salesforce cut more than 1,000 jobs while hiring workers to sell new artificial intelligence (AI) products. Similarly, Meta continued with performance-based dismissals in January, with AI integration playing a role in the company's plans to reshape operational structure.

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