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We believe that AI and education make a great duo, and we've leveraged AI to help us deliver highly-personalized language lessons, affordable and accessible English proficiency testing, and more. Our mission to make high-quality education available to everyone in the world is made possible by advanced AI technology. That's why we're excited to take advantage of GPT-4, the newest technology from OpenAI, to make learning with Duolingo even more powerful. Introducing... Duolingo Max!

Duolingo Max is a new subscription tier above Super Duolingo that gives learners access to two brand-new features and exercises: Explain My Answer and Roleplay. Both are powered by the newest, most powerful generative AI technology. We've been working closely with OpenAI for months to refine the technology and get it ready for learners!

Here's everything you need to know about this exciting new experience!

How is Duolingo Max different than Super Duolingo?

Duolingo Max gives learners all the benefits of Super (unlimited hearts, no ads, and personalized review through the Practice Hub), as well as two new AI-powered features. These new features are: Explain My Answer and Roleplay.

Naturally, you might ask...

What is Explain My Answer?

Sometimes you make a mistake, but you're not exactly sure what the *right* answer would be. Or maybe, you keep making the same mistake again and again and you can't figure out why. Explain My Answer offers learners the chance to learn more about their response in a lesson (whether their answer was correct or incorrect!) By tapping a button after certain exercise types, learners can enter a chat with Duo to get a simple explanation on why their answer was right or wrong, and ask for examples or further clarification.

What is Roleplay?

Roleplay allows learners to practice real-world conversation skills with world characters in the app. These challenges, which earn XP, will live alongside the path as one of the "Side Quests" learners can access by tapping on the character. What will you talk about? We'll guide you through different scenarios! Learners might discuss future vacation plans with Lin, order coffee at a café in Paris, go furniture shopping with Eddy, or ask a friend to go for a hike.

Although learners aren't actually talking to a live human, the AI behind this feature is responsive and interactive, meaning no two conversations will be exactly alike! After the interaction, learners get AI-powered feedback from Duo on the accuracy and complexity of their responses, as well as tips for future conversations.

Who has access to these new features?

The only courses that can utilize these new features are Spanish and French for English speakers on iOS. We expect to roll these out to more courses and platforms very soon!

At launch, Duolingo Max will be available in the U.S., Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. We're working to expand to more countries in the coming months.

Are humans evaluating the content at all?

Yes! At Duolingo, our curriculum experts and designers are well-versed at working with AI-generated content to create fun and effective lessons. These new features are no different!

Humans write the scenarios that learners see in Roleplay-they make sure the initial prompt (Talk about a vacation! Ask for directions!) is aligned with where the learner is in their course. Our experts also write the initial message in the chat and tell the model where to take the conversation.

We also constantly review AI-generated explanations in Roleplay and Explain My Answer to ensure that the answers are factually correct and have the right tone (fun, encouraging, and if you're Duo, occasionally snarky 😅).

What if the AI makes a mistake?

We know that technology is never perfect (hey, neither are humans!). Part of the reason we're so excited to use GPT-4 for these features is that it's the most accurate (and fastest) version of the technology available. We've spent months collaborating closely with OpenAI to test and train this technology, and will continue doing so until the mistakes are nearly nonexistent.

If you notice a mistake or error in an AI-generated response, you can report it by holding down the inaccurate message-a menu will pop up and allow you to select your reason for reporting. Our team will watch for these reports and use them to train the model to be more accurate. (For more about how we work with learners to ensure our lessons are accurate, click here!)

Every Explain My Answer session also has the option to offer a 👍 or 👎 after you receive the explanation.

A new way to Max-imize your learning

We've spent months testing this technology with our teams and small groups of learners, and we're impressed by the results. Our mission has always been to bring the highest-quality education to everyone on the planet, and AI helps us do that a lot faster than if we worked alone!

We're so excited to continue bringing new features and exercises to all of our learners around the world-Duolingo Max is only the beginning! We're rolling this out slowly to learners on iOS devices. If you're eligible to try out Duolingo Max, you can find it in the Shop tab (click the gem icon at the top of your screen). Android and Web learners should keep an eye out for Duolingo Max in the coming months!

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Introducing Duolingo Max, a learning experience powered by GPT-4

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Duolingo's newest subscription, Duolingo Max, offers a powerful AI-backed learning experience.

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5900 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15206

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https://digialps.com/duolingos-massive-layoff-ai-takeover-impacting-thousands-of-human-translators/

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Duolingo's Decision Sparks Online Backlash

The news about Duolingo's personnel changes first came to light in a viral post by Reddit user No_Comb_4582 - an ex-company contractor.

The translator worked at Duolingo for five years before his contract ended, in a team of four that shrunk to a team of two after the strategy shift, he explained in the post. The remaining workers now just review content generated by AI, to make sure it's acceptable.

The Reddit post - which currently features 583 comments - asks netizens how they feel about Duolingo's new AI-led strategy, sparking a lot of strong opinions around the company's deprioritization of human translators.

The majority of commenters expressed contempt for Duolingo's actions, with many expressing sympathies for the laid-off contractors, and others claiming the pivot goes directly against the company's sale pitch of using native speakers.

Other users, like @EqualataralProphecy, explained that this move is part of a broader trend toward displacing workers in favor of faster, cheaper AI alternatives. "We are going to see this story almost daily. It's going to make things that much tougher on people trying to build their careers," the user commented.

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Duolingo Sounds AI Layoffs Alarm as Human Translators Replaced

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Duolingo has pivoted to generative AI to translate content, sparking backlash online after it replaced 10% of its human translation workforce.

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Duolingo Cuts 10% of Workforce to Prioritise AI Development

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In a Move to Embrace AI Language Learning, Duolingo Has Made Job Cuts to Its Translation Workforce, Following Tech Companies Seeking to Prioritise AI

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Duolingo build up their investment on AI tools like Chat GPT

Duolingo offboarding around 10% of their translator

They are gradually switching human labor with AI

Currently now, the employee that are still in the company are just making sure if the AI work are sustainable

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Duolingo has opted to reply on AI

Duolingo uses AI in every part of the App

There is a heated controversy about Duolingo replacing people with AI

This controversy had people concerns about future job security

What happened has people realizing the potential impact with AI

Many translator that are still working for Duolingo has now developed fear of being replace by AI

There are people now believed AI would eventually surpass human in translation capabilities

Duolingo's choice in replacing human with AI is a major development in the era of AI takeover

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AI provides faster and more profitable translation

Able to translate by yourself

Free translation options

Affordable Cost

Able to Translate from multiple fields

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Lack deep understanding of language nuances and cultural contexts

Lack the ability to adapt translations to specific target audiences.

Absence of creativity

AI translation isn't accurate enough

Possibility misinterpret translations

Can pick up wrong words

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Company is aiming to combine general AI into their services

Doing this Duolingo is increase additional anxieties to employee

Over a year ago Duolingo had starting to make a shift regarding to AI translation

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Leveraged AI to make lessons

Uses AI for explaining answer & experience life situation conversation (example: ordering in a restaurant, asking a friend to go on a hike)

Human evaluating AI responds

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In our increasingly interconnected world, the ability to communicate with people from diverse linguistic backgrounds is more important than ever. Language translation has become an essential tool for breaking down barriers and fostering global understanding. And with the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), we've witnessed remarkable progress in machine translation services. However, with great power comes great responsibility. Just like Microsoft's recent struggles with AI-generated news, the use of AI in language translation comes with its own set of risks. Let's dive into the potential pitfalls and challenges of using AI for translation while drawing parallels to the recent news about Microsoft's AI-generated content.

The Promise of AI Translation

AI translation services like Google Translate and DeepL have made communication across languages more accessible than ever. They offer quick and convenient translations for text, websites, and even spoken words. These tools have become invaluable for travelers, businesses, and individuals trying to understand foreign content or connect with people from around the world. But, there's more to the story.

Risk 1: Loss of Nuance

AI translation systems work by learning patterns from vast amounts of text data. While they are remarkably efficient, they can struggle to capture the nuances of human language. Sarcasm, humor, cultural references, and idiomatic expressions often get lost in translation. Just as we saw with Microsoft's AI-generated news feeds, where nuances were missed and content could be misleading, the same applies to AI translations. Miscommunications and misunderstandings can arise, potentially straining relationships and causing embarrassment.

Risk 2: Biased Translations

Another major concern with AI translation is the potential for bias. AI models are trained on the vast amount of text available on the internet, which unfortunately includes biased or prejudiced content. Just as Microsoft's AI news generated controversy for sometimes perpetuating biases, AI translations can also produce translations that perpetuate stereotypes, discrimination, or misinformation. This can have serious implications, especially in sensitive or diplomatic contexts where precise and unbiased translations are crucial.

Risk 3: Privacy and Security

AI translation services often require users to input their text for translation. While reputable companies take privacy and security seriously, there is always a risk that sensitive or confidential information could be exposed, even unintentionally. As we've seen with privacy concerns related to AI-generated news, the same concerns apply to AI translation. It's essential to use trusted and established services, but it's still crucial to be aware of potential data vulnerabilities when using AI for translation.

Risk 4: Accuracy Issues

AI translation is not perfect and can lead to mistranslations or awkward phrasings. Relying solely on AI for important documents, contracts, or academic work can be risky, much like the inaccuracies found in Microsoft's AI-generated news. Always consider having translations reviewed by a human expert for critical or professional content.

Risk 5: Over-Dependence on Technology

While AI translation can be incredibly convenient, there's a risk that people might become overly reliant on it. The danger is that we stop learning other languages, assuming that the technology will always be there to bail us out. Language is a fundamental part of culture and communication, and it's valuable to learn and appreciate different languages and the nuances they bring to our understanding of the world.

Conclusion

AI translation services have come a long way and have made the world a smaller, more accessible place. However, as with any powerful technology, they come with risks. Loss of nuance, potential biases, privacy concerns, accuracy issues, and over-dependence on technology are all factors to consider. It's essential to use AI translation with caution, especially for sensitive or professional purposes. While AI can be a useful tool, human expertise remains irreplaceable when it comes to preserving the richness and accuracy of languages.

In light of recent news about Microsoft's AI-generated content, we see parallels in the challenges of using AI for translation. Just as technology must be wielded responsibly in news generation, it should also be used with care in language translation. In the end, technology should enhance our connections, not hinder them, and it's our responsibility to ensure it does so accurately and impartially.

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The Risks of AI Translation: Learning from Microsoft's Controversy

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Find out how to use AI translation responsibly and the importance of human expertise in preserving accuracy.

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I acknowledge that Duolingo is on the right track. However, I discovered that Duolingo is thinking of switching humans with AI for translations. In my honest opinion, this change should not occur. According to the article “The Risks of AI Translation” written by the SimulTrans Team, the writers claim “While they are remarkably efficient, they can struggle to capture the nuances of human language. Sarcasm, humor, cultural references, and idiomatic expressions often get lost in translation.” This quotation brings to light the acute issue of an absence of emotions when utilizing AI, highlighting the foreseeable plausibility of the general public perceiving AI warily. My opponents may argue that AI is affordable and available 24 hours a day, whilst humans have requisites. Even so, have they considered that AI may not always be accessible due to technological problems or updates?

Furthermore, a large amount of investment is required to fully utilize AI translation and gain profits. For a business with limited resources, this may present a huge future problem.

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Should Duolingo replace human translator with AI?

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Should Duolingo replace human translator with AI?