Duolingo CEO's Vision on AI's Role in Schools
Evanne Evans, 30 May 2025
Luis von Ahn, CEO of Duolingo, envisions a transformative role for artificial intelligence (AI) in education, predicting that in the near future, AI will handle most teaching tasks to make learning more scalable and personalized.
In this imagined yet eerily real future, schools would primarily serve as supervised environments or childcare centers. At the same time, AI delivers tailored educational content to students with diverse needs and abilities. Von Ahn's Perspective: AI as the Primary Educator
Von Ahn argues that AI's efficiency surpasses that of human teachers, enabling individualized learning experiences that adapt in real-time to each student's needs. He believes that AI can provide consistent, high-quality instructions that are easily accessible to all, regardless of geographical or socioeconomic barriers.
Criticisms from the Education Sector
This vision may seem promising in theory, but it has sparked controversy among many educators and experts. Critics are concerned that over-reliance on AI could undermine the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills, arguing that human interaction is essential for fostering creativity, empathy, and social skills.
Complete AI Training, which provides over 200 AI training programs across multiple industries, published an article on 23 May 2025 confirming what many fear: “experts say AI complements rather than substitutes human educators.”
Another primary concern is the significant job loss that would occur if this vision were to become a reality. This would be particularly relevant for women, where teaching remains a more female-oriented profession and could set back women’s equality, leaving many vulnerable and needing to seek new jobs with potentially lower pay.
While AI offers promising tools for enhancing education, experts advocate for a balanced approach that integrates AI without compromising essential human elements of teaching. They call for comprehensive policies and training to ensure that AI serves as a supplement to, rather than a replacement for, human educators.
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