Duolingo Founder on Why AI Could Be a Better Teacher for Personalized Learning

uis von Ahn, the founder of Duolingo, recently shared his visionary perspective on how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping education.

From revolutionizing language learning to redefining traditional schooling, his insights reveal the potential of AI to make learning more scalable, personalized, and engaging.

In this blog, we dive into von Ahn’s thoughts, with a particular focus on how AI could transform the education system over the next two decades, alongside its applications in content creation, conversational practice, and new subjects like math and chess.

AI-Powered Content Creation: Scaling Learning Globally

Duolingo has harnessed large language models (LLMs) to transform its content creation process.

“We’ve retooled this whole content creation pipeline to be entirely based on large language models... humans are not involved any longer, or very little,” von Ahn explains.

This AI-driven approach has enabled Duolingo to produce vast amounts of content, expanding its offerings significantly. For instance, while Duolingo once taught 40 languages primarily for English speakers, AI now allows it to offer these languages for speakers of any base language, such as Spanish for German or Chinese speakers.

“We can go so much faster at this point... we basically teach the 40 languages to every base language,” he notes, underscoring AI’s ability to scale educational content to meet diverse global demands.

Conversational Practice Without Judgment

With LLMs, Duolingo offers a judgment-free environment where learners can practice speaking with an AI.

“Now with large language models, you can actually practice conversation with an AI, and you do so without feeling judged,” he says, noting significant user engagement with this feature.

Expanding Horizons: AI as a Tutor for Math, Music, and Chess

Beyond languages, Duolingo is using AI to teach subjects like math, music, and chess, aiming to make learning both effective and engaging. Von Ahn is particularly excited about math, where AI can act like a tutor but with added appeal.

“Tutors can be really good at learning outcomes... [but] they’re really boring,” he says. Duolingo’s goal is to create a learning experience that is “90% as effective as a tutor and 90% as fun as Candy Crush.”

The company focuses on subjects with large audiences that require long-term learning, aligning with its mobile app model. “We look for things that take a long time to learn... and things that we think are good for the world,” von Ahn explains.

Revolutionizing Traditional Education: AI’s Role in Schools

Von Ahn’s most compelling insights center on the future of traditional education, which he believes will undergo significant changes within the next 20 years.

“Education is going to change... it’s just a lot more scalable to teach with AI than with teachers,” he asserts.

While teachers and schools will remain essential for childcare and human interaction, AI can provide the personalized attention that teachers, managing 30 students, cannot.

“The computer can actually know with very precise knowledge what you, this one student, is good at and bad at,” von Ahn explains, highlighting AI’s ability to tailor learning experiences with unmatched precision.

However, this transformation will be gradual due to systemic inertia. “School systems are regulated... they’re doing stuff from like 30 years ago,” he observes, pointing to regulatory hurdles and outdated practices, such as debates over teaching evolution in some regions. While progressive schools in places like New York or Silicon Valley may adopt AI faster, the broader education system will lag.

Private schools, particularly those charging high tuition, face a unique challenge: “It’s hard for them to say, ‘Well, what our kids do is use Duolingo,’ because it’s like, why am I paying you 50,000 bucks?” von Ahn notes. Yet, he predicts private schools will lead the shift, delivering better learning outcomes.

Some countries with less developed education systems may leapfrog to AI-driven models, as von Ahn suggests: “For them, this is the only way in which they can scale their education.”

In a formal school setting, AI can also leverage greater student engagement, with the potential for 20-minute sessions rather than the 2-minute bursts typical of mobile apps.

“In a formal education setting... you can probably expect that they’re going to do 20 [minutes],” he says, emphasizing AI’s flexibility in structured environments.

Despite the slow pace, von Ahn is optimistic about AI’s impact.

“There are extremely good teachers for sure, but there’s not very many of them, and certainly most everybody in the world doesn’t have access to a good one,” he says.

AI can democratize access to high-quality education, ensuring more equitable learning opportunities globally. While Duolingo’s gamified approach to motivation will inform these changes, von Ahn acknowledges that formal education may require different strategies to maintain student engagement.

AI as Opportunity and Threat

While AI drives Duolingo’s innovations, von Ahn recognizes its disruptive potential. “We’re undergoing a platform shift... I don’t know what’s going to happen on the other side,” he admits, noting that AI could challenge not only Duolingo but also other content-driven companies like Netflix.

However, Duolingo’s unique data on language learning, strong brand, and vast distribution network provide a competitive edge. “We have data on how people are learning languages that is unique... and brand ends up mattering quite a bit,” he says.

Empowering Young Experts

AI’s ability to make learning more accessible and engaging could accelerate skill acquisition, enabling younger generations to become experts earlier. Von Ahn reflects on how the internet already facilitates rapid learning, citing examples like a sophomore writing a textbook on wireless technology.

“If people can get to skill acquisition and learning outcomes that are much cheaper, broadly accessible, and easier to motivate, you will get experts... doing really interesting things by the time they’re 15,” he predicts.

With AI amplifying their capabilities, these young experts could drive innovation at an unprecedented pace.

A Gradual but Profound Shift

Von Ahn’s vision underscores AI’s potential to transform education by making it more personalized, scalable, and engaging.

While traditional schooling will evolve slowly due to systemic resistance, AI’s ability to deliver precise, individualized learning could redefine how we educate future generations. “I do think that it would be more effective if some of that time is being spent with essentially an AI teaching you,” von Ahn concludes.

As Duolingo continues to innovate, its approach to motivation and accessibility could pave the way for a future where AI empowers learners worldwide, from classrooms to mobile apps, to achieve mastery faster and more equitably.

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