Learning a new language is a skill that takes time, patience and understanding. It has been taught since humanity first developed language and writing. Today, when it comes to learning other languages, there’s Duolingo, an app that teaches users how to speak, read and write – and which I used for a while until AI came into play.
Duolingo Max uses GPT-4, and this is a feature I don’t like, because language learning and its nuances are very human. We learn through patterns we notice around us. By hearing others speak in certain situations through a process called statistical learning, we can better understand what is being said. When Duolingo changed its strategy, the company laid off staff to focus on artificial intelligence. The update includes the Lily chatbot character that helps you practice with AI-generated responses, something many users don’t want on their devices.
Another reason I got rid of the owl was due to the many things behind a paywall. Additionally, if you missed several days in a row, you had to take a refresher course that only covered the basics of the language, not your recent learning. I used the app to learn Spanish and was having a great time, but I couldn’t continue after constant reminders for missing days and after being inundated with reminders to subscribe for more.
The Duolingo User Experience
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Some users have also jumped ship, believing that due to Duolingo’s move to generative AI, the service is no longer worth using. One user commented on Reddit that the company removing some features and laying off contractors to create content faster with artificial intelligence was reason enough for her to leave the language learning platform.
It’s clear that even CEO Luis von Ahn is focused on using generative AI to release more content faster, as he said in a report to shareholders a few months before the layoffs. This is where it was reported that Duolingo uses AI to create sentences for courses, create lists of translations, and review errors spotted by users in order to correct them more quickly. Users who have taken AI-written courses say the information is missing or simply incorrect. It was either grammatically, semantically, or stylistically wrong, which could lead users to believe they are learning correctly when in reality they are not.
However, Duolingo is reporting a big increase in people continuing to learn through its app, particularly languages such as Mandarin. The company announced that even with the AI controversy, it saw a 40% year-over-year increase in revenue and active users, projecting it would earn $1 billion annually.
Alternatives to Duolingo
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The introduction of AI has driven users away from the app, with some looking for other ways to learn a new language. Duolingo is not the only service or means by which you can learn to speak and write another language. When I left Duolingo a few years ago, I wanted to continue expanding my knowledge of language learning, so I turned to YouTube.
There are dozens of language learning apps you can turn to besides Duolingo. YouTube is completely free and offers lessons taught by real people. I switched from learning Spanish on Duolingo to learning American Sign Language – which Duolingo doesn’t teach – through the Learn How to Sign YouTube channel. You can also search YouTube to find other channels dedicated to additional languages.
If you want an app, there are others like Babbel and Anki. Of course, you’ll want to research apps and YouTube channels in advance to make sure they don’t use AI in any way, if that’s your preference. The apps mentioned here were selected for their high ratings on their respective stores, but there are many options available. Learn How to Sign is an example based on my experience that matches what other channels and creators offer: its YouTube channel offers free courses, while paid courses are available on its website.
