Language learning platform Duolingo has recently intensified its shift toward artificial intelligence, announcing a strategic move to replace human contractors with AI systems. This decision positions the company as “AI-first,” reflecting a broader trend in corporate strategies aimed at reducing labor costs through automation. Journalist Brian Merchant highlighted this development as a clear indicator that the displacement of human workers by AI is no longer a distant possibility but a present reality.
According to reports, Duolingo began reducing its contractor workforce as early as late 2023, cutting approximately 10% of roles, including translators and content writers. Further reductions occurred in October 2024, with AI tools taking over tasks previously handled by these contractors. A former employee revealed that the transition to AI-driven workflows has been an ongoing process, suggesting that the company’s reliance on automation is deepening.
This trend aligns with broader economic shifts. Recent data points to rising unemployment rates among college graduates, particularly in entry-level white-collar positions. Analysts speculate that companies are either directly replacing junior roles with AI or reallocating budgets from hiring to AI investments. The result is a shrinking job market for early-career professionals, compounded by the erosion of freelance opportunities in creative fields like writing, design, and translation.
Merchant argues that the so-called “AI jobs crisis” is not the result of sentient machines usurping human roles but rather a calculated corporate strategy to prioritize cost-cutting and operational efficiency. He cites examples such as government agencies laying off workers under the guise of adopting AI-first policies, emphasizing that the crisis stems from management decisions rather than technological inevitability. This pattern, he warns, threatens to exacerbate income inequality and destabilize industries reliant on human creativity and expertise.
