Is Duolingo the face of an AI jobs crisis?

Duolingo announced the plans to replace contractors with AI this week and Being a company “AI-“ – an action Journalist Brian merchant was pointed pointed AI business crisis “here, as a sign that is now.”

In fact, the merchant spoke with the former Duolingo Contractor, who said that this is not a new policy. Company Cut 10% of contractor workers At the end of 2023 and the merchant said that in October 2024, he said. In both cases, contractors (first translators and then writers) were replaced.

The merchant also noted that he reported in the Atlantic Unusual high unemployment rate for recent college graduates. An explanation? Companies can replace the white collar work in access level with AI or the costs of the AI ​​can only “collect” costs for new hirones.

This crisis, the merchant wrote, a number of leadership decisions that want to reduce labor costs and to reduce control of their organizations, “and the charm of artists, writers and illustrators and the charm of writers and illustrators and the charm of corporations to attract corporations to a small human worker.”

“The AI ​​Jobs crisis is no kind of skynet-esque robot works apocalypse – it The doge fires ten thousands of federal employees While waving the banner ‘AI-first strategy’“He added.