Duolingo’s growth challenges fears that AI will replace language learning

Numbers are rising despite AI advances

In the second quarter of 2026, the platform recorded 58.7 million daily active users, a 23% increase compared to the same period the previous year.

AI as a point tool, not a substitute for fluency

Analigia Martins, the company’s marketing director in Brazil, says that machine translation solves specific situations but does not replace the ability to communicate confidently and understand a language’s culture.

“AI translation can be useful when you need to get by in a specific situation, but learning a language offers something different.”

She adds that the ability to think and react directly in another language allows people to build relationships and develop confidence, something a machine cannot replicate.

Internal transformation and record-breaking course launch

In April 2025, CEO Luis von Ahn announced that Duolingo would adopt an “AI-first” strategy, gradually reducing the use of contractors for tasks that AI could perform and evaluating the technology in performance reviews.

“We prefer to act with urgency and take specific quality risks rather than miss the moment.”

A year earlier, in January 2024, the company had already cut about 10% of its contracted workforce, mainly translators and writers, after expanding the use of GPT-4 in content creation. Users reported a decline in quality, and the CEO admitted that the memo did not provide enough context.

The bet on AI delivered concrete results: in April 2025, Duolingo launched 148 new language courses simultaneously, the largest expansion in its history. Features such as the Video Call with Lily and Chat use conversational AI to simulate real-time conversations.

An internal study showed that students who used the Video Call had significantly higher scores in speaking skills after 30 days.

Future prospects and goal of 100 million users

The company believes that the widespread adoption of AI will change how people use languages but will not eliminate the interest in learning them. CEO Luis von Ahn’s goal is to double the current number of daily users, reaching 100 million.

To achieve this, Duolingo has prioritized growing its user base over short-term gains, improving the free experience, and planning to expand its catalog to areas such as chess, math, and music.

While AI can help overcome immediate barriers in a conversation, the platform believes there is a fundamental difference between translating a sentence and developing a lasting linguistic skill.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is AI translation reducing interest in learning languages? Duolingo says its daily users continue to grow, reaching 58.7 million in the second quarter of 2026, a 23% increase in one year.
• Why learn a language if AI already translates everything? For the company, AI solves specific situations but does not replace the ability to communicate without relying on a device, understand the culture, and express oneself naturally.
• How does Duolingo use artificial intelligence? AI is used in lesson personalization, notifications, and features such as the Video Call with Lily, Chat with characters, and Explain My Answer.
• Does Duolingo see AI as a threat? The company views AI primarily as a tool that strengthens its product, although the market has reacted cautiously due to fears that the technology will reduce demand for language classes.
• What is Duolingo’s goal for the next few years? The CEO aims to reach 100 million daily users, prioritizing the free experience and user base growth.