# Duolingo Leaps Forward: AI Powers Doubling of Language Course Offerings

## Duolingo Leaps Forward: AI Powers Doubling of Language Course Offerings

Duolingo, the popular language learning platform, has announced a massive expansion of its course offerings, more than doubling the number of languages available to its users. This ambitious undertaking, according to the company, was made possible by leveraging the power of generative AI. The move significantly broadens accessibility to language learning for a global audience.

In a recent announcement, Duolingo revealed the launch of 148 new language courses. This expansion means that the platform’s seven most popular non-English languages – Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin – are now accessible to learners using all 28 supported user interface (UI) languages. This dramatically expands learning opportunities for over a billion potential learners worldwide.

Historically, creating a new language course for Duolingo was a lengthy process, often taking years. However, the company has drastically reduced this timeline through the integration of generative AI, shared content systems, and enhanced internal tooling. This new approach, dubbed “shared content,” enables Duolingo employees to create a base course and then rapidly customize it for dozens of different languages.

“Now, by using generative AI to create and validate content, we’re able to focus our expertise where it’s most impactful, ensuring every course meets Duolingo’s rigorous quality standards,” said Jessie Becker, Duolingo’s senior director of learning design. This highlights the company’s commitment to maintaining high-quality learning experiences despite the accelerated development process.

This announcement follows a recent memo from Duolingo’s cofounder and CEO, Luis von Ahn, outlining the company’s “AI-first” strategy. The memo indicated a shift towards prioritizing AI in workflows, including potentially replacing contractor roles with AI-driven solutions. This approach will be evaluated during hiring processes and performance reviews, with headcount prioritized for teams where automation is not feasible.

In response to concerns raised by the memo, Duolingo spokesperson Sam Dalsimer clarified that the company has been using and testing AI for years. “One of the best decisions we made recently was replacing a slow, manual content creation process with one powered by AI, under the direction of our learning design experts. That shift allowed us to create and launch 148 new language courses today,” Dalsimer told The Verge.

Duolingo maintains its confidence in AI’s capabilities, constantly testing and improving its models. They have also implemented systems to ensure AI-generated content aligns with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), a widely recognized standard for language proficiency.

While Dalsimer acknowledged some “negative reactions” to the AI-first memo, they emphasized that Duolingo has “no intention to reduce full-time headcount or hiring,” and that contractor staffing changes will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The company’s ultimate goal, as stated by Dalsimer, is to “use technology to teach as well as a human tutor, and because of AI, that goal is within our reach for the first time ever.” This expansion of language courses marks a significant step towards that vision, demonstrating the transformative potential of AI in democratizing access to education.