Adapted by:
Javier Lacort
Senior WriterI write long-form content at Xataka about the intersection between technology, business and society. I also host the daily Spanish podcast Loop infinito (Infinite Loop), where we analyze Apple news and put it into perspective.
Alba Mora
WriterAn established tech journalist, I entered the world of consumer tech by chance in 2018. In my writing and translating career, I've also covered a diverse range of topics, including entertainment, travel, science, and the economy.
Duolingo announced on Tuesday a significant change that may seem minor at first. It’ll replace some of its external collaborators with generative AI. CEO Luis von Ahn made this announcement in an internal email that the company later shared on LinkedIn. “We are going to be AI-first,” Duolingo said, signaling a pivotal shift in its strategy.
This move represents more than just a strategic pivot. It reflects a broader transformation in the world that’s coming.
Duolingo’s approach isn’t merely about automating tasks. It illustrates that, in certain industries, human talent is no longer an essential requirement for generating value at scale. What once required time-consuming, expensive, and handcrafted processes can now be produced on a large scale and almost instantly. No burnout. No payroll. No creative demands.
Over the past 30 years, the Internet has ushered society into an economy where human capital (ideas, creativity, language, and judgment) has been the primary bottleneck. People were still indispensable to many processes.
However, digital value is now separating from direct human input. This represents a new starting point.
Generative AI isn’t just replacing tasks. It’s beginning to redefine the concept of merit. Simply knowing how to perform a task well is no longer enough. If a machine can accomplish it “well enough,” you risk becoming irrelevant, even if your version is superior and your judgment is stronger.
The qualitative advantages of human work no longer compensate for the speed and scale machines achieve. In this context, talent stops being a valuable asset. It becomes optional.
Duolingo may not be the only company to take this stance, but it’s been the first to express it so directly. This shift signals a trend where companies may choose not to hire unless they first automate. Society is entering a phase where departments assess the value you provide with AI, rather than without it. This gives rise to a new kind of worker who must demonstrate competitiveness against machines.
This moment signifies a rupture. For decades, creativity has been a refuge from automation. Now, it’s becoming its next frontier. If talent is no longer essential, what role does human labor play in the digital economy? What remains of professional prestige when excellence no longer guarantees relevance?
History will remember Duolingo’s bold move not for its immediate impact but for what it anticipates. A new chapter is starting, marked by more than technological change. It’s completely changing the rules.
Image | appshunter.io
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