Duolingo CEO is getting dragged after telling staff they’re being replaced by AI

Duolingo, the language app best known for its sassy green owl, has sparked backlash after telling staff it’s making a major shift towards artificial intelligence, a move that includes cutting contract workers and relying more heavily on automation.

In an email to employees, Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn confirmed the company is now officially an “AI first” business. The announcement, also shared on LinkedIn, said new hires would only be considered “if a team cannot automate more of their work”. Duolingo says the change is about removing “bottlenecks” and freeing up employees for “creative work and real problems”. But many users – and long-time fans of the app – aren’t convinced, accusing the company of choosing efficiency over people.

So, what was the announcement?

In the statement, Duolingo CEO said it would be rolling out “constructive constraints” as part of the shift – including changes to how it works with contractors, using AI in hiring and performance reviews, and making automation a key focus before any new roles are approved.

In his LinkedIn post, Luis von Ahn stressed that this wasn’t about replacing workers, but rather about streamlining workflows. “We will remain a company that cares deeply about its employees,” the statement added.

So, how did people react?

The announcement has been met with a wave of criticism online. Many called out the company for what they see as a tone-deaf move. Especially because it’s a platform built on human language and connection.

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One person commented on the post saying, “Duolingo what a depressing post. Nice touch burying human acknowledgement to the bottom. High praise for effectively forgetting that language connects humans. Great job kneeling at the altar of AI.”

I have a 2193 day streak on @duolingo and want to let them know that this sucks. https://t.co/lu8inTRgmm

— TaraGiancaspro.substack.com (@sweatylamarr) April 29, 2025

Others user pointed out the contradiction between saying you care about employees and then using AI to replace them: “You’re either about optimising for extreme efficiency or about people.”

I want to learn Spanish again but Duolingo made me give up 😔

— RAVEN ✩ 🇵🇭 (@ravenbozo) April 30, 2025

And they weren’t the only ones. A third person added, “ I don’t want content generated by AI that may be incorrect on top of that. And I support employees over AI, always.”

Do not support Duolingo the fucking stupid green owl because apparently the company is firing all their contract workers for AI 👍

— SupNovaGY | Artist 💜💫 (@gy_sup) April 29, 2025

The main frustration here is the idea that Duolingo, a company built around human connection, seems to be making a sharp turn toward replacing that very connection with robots. While AI can certainly do some things, people are worried about the quality of content and the message it sends

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Featured image via YouTube/LinkedIn