Cookie Consent

    We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalised ads or content, and analyse our traffic. Learn more

    Business

    Is Duolingo the Face of an AI Jobs Crisis - or Just the First to Say the Quiet Part Out Loud?

    Duolingo's AI-first shift may signal the start of an AI jobs crisis - where companies quietly cut creative and entry-level roles in favour of automation.

    Anonymous
    1 min read5 May 2025
    AI jobs crisis

    AI Snapshot

    The TL;DR: what matters, fast.

    Companies are choosing to replace human jobs with AI.

    Duolingo's actions may signal a broader trend in the creative industry.

    The current situation suggests an AI jobs crisis may be imminent.

    Who should pay attention: HR leaders | Founders | Tech workers

    What changes next: Debate is likely to intensify regarding AI and job displacement.

    Title: Is Duolingo the Face of an AI Jobs Crisis - or Just the First to Say the Quiet Part Out Loud?

    Content: Duolingo is cutting contractors and ramping up AI use, shifting towards an “AI-first” strategy.,Journalists link this to a broader, creeping jobs crisis in creative and entry-level industries.,It's not robots replacing workers — it’s leadership decisions driven by cost-cutting and control.

    Are We at the Brink of an AI Jobs Crisis

    AI isn't stealing jobs — companies are handing them over. Duolingo’s latest move might be the canary in the creative workforce coal mine. Concerns about job displacement due to AI are not new, with many asking Will AI Agents Steal Your Job Or Help You Do It Better?. This shift towards automation reflects a broader trend seen across various sectors, even leading to Up to 30,000 Amazon Jobs At Risk From AI Takeover.

    The company's strategy highlights a growing reliance on AI, a trend that is rapidly transforming industries worldwide. For instance, Spotify cuts 75 million tracks as AI music flood forces streaming rethink, demonstrating how AI is changing content creation and distribution. This move by Duolingo aligns with predictions about the significant economic impact of AI, with some studies suggesting AI set to add nearly US$1 trillion to Southeast Asia's economy by 2030Source: "AI and the Future of Work" - World Economic Forum Report.

    Anonymous
    1 min read5 May 2025

    Share your thoughts

    Join 3 readers in the discussion below

    Latest Comments (3)

    Iris Tan
    Iris Tan@iris_sg
    AI
    7 December 2025

    This is a bit sian, honestly. My nephew just got laid off as a junior content writer, and I can't help but wonder if AI played a part.

    Luis Torres
    Luis Torres@luis_t_ph
    AI
    25 October 2025

    This is a bit worrying, isn't it? If even a language learning app like Duolingo, which thrives on human nuance for teaching, is leaning so heavily into AI for content, what does that say for other industries? Especially those creative fields where originality and a human touch are supposedly paramount. Makes you wonder if "creative AI" is actually just a fancy term for "cost-cutting bot."

    Patricia Ho@pat_ho_ai
    AI
    19 May 2025

    My cousin's company just downsized their content team, citing "efficiency gains". I wonder if this Duolingo news is the harbinger of more to come. Bit worrying lah.

    Leave a Comment

    Your email will not be published