- Duolingo cut about 10% of its contractor workforce.
- The company disputed officially terming them “layoffs” but said efficiency gains from new technology reduced staffing needs.
- Duolingo’s move signals issues around job automation, even in human skills like linguistic expertise.
Cuts 10% of contractor workforce
Language learning app Duolingo recently eliminated around 10% of its contractor workforce, attributing the departures partly to AI models like GPT-4 taking over certain functions. The cuts signal issues around job automation as AI grows more capable at language processing.
A Reddit user claiming former contractor status posted about being let go on December 15th, with Duolingo citing its increasing reliance on AI for content and translations.
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Humans’ work still necessary
The company disputed officially terming the reductions “layoffs” but confirmed efficiency gains from new technology reduced staffing needs.
Duolingo utilizes GPT-4 to generate translations and feedback validated by human experts. Its subscription offering also provides an AI chatbot for practicing conversations. The company argues AI output still requires oversight to meet teaching standards.
The new age: a contractor workforce
However, contractors noted most of Duolingo’s workforce is not full-time and expressed concerns about job stability. Users also worried AI lacks nuanced linguistic and cultural understanding compared to human tutors.
As chatbots like ChatGPT drive explosive AI progress, automation threatens over 20% of jobs over the next five years, per the World Economic Forum. Duolingo’s move reveals that even language expertise may be vulnerable as algorithms steadily master new human skills.
