Duolingo Inc boss Luis von Ahn has clarified his “AI-first company” comments, telling The New York Times that the backlash stemmed from a lack of context rather than intent.
He said critics assumed the strategy was profit-driven or linked to staff reductions, but insisted: “We’ve never laid off any full-time employees and have no intention of doing so.”
While acknowledging fluctuations in contractor numbers, von Ahn described that as normal for project needs.
Despite the noise, Duolingo’s business remains largely unaffected, and von Ahn remains upbeat about artificial intelligence.
Staff at the language-learning app now devote Friday mornings to AI experiments, a routine he jokingly calls “fr-AI-days,” though he admits he is unsure how to pronounce it.