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Duolingo CEO says he does not believe schools will be shut or there will be no teachers. Instead the main role of schools will just change
Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn (Image: duolingo.com)
Duolingo CEO and co-founder Luis von Ahn has stated that Artificial Intelligence (AI) may become the primary educator and schools could be just used for childcare. AI tutors are anticipated to eventually outperform human teachers in terms of effectiveness and scalability, von Ahn said during the No Priors podcast hosted by Sarah Guo.
However, he added that he does not believe schools will be shut or there will be no teachers. Instead the main role of schools will change — from formal education to being a secure place for childcare. He added that learning will be driven by advanced AI systems.
In traditional classrooms with large groups of students, personalised learning poses a significant challenge. von Ahn believes AI can solve this problem by customising lessons to each student’s unique pace and learning needs. Unlike human teachers, who may struggle to monitor the progress of every child in a class of 30 or more, AI systems can quickly identify weaknesses and adjust content in real-time, providing a level of precision that is difficult to achieve manually.
He acknowledged that integrating AI into education would be a gradual process. Education systems often resist change due to regulations, cultural expectations, and outdated infrastructure. However, he is confident that AI’s presence in classrooms will continue to grow, particularly in countries where delivering high-quality education on a large scale is a significant challenge.
“Education is going to change. It’s just a lot more scalable to teach with AI than with teachers,” von Ahn said.
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It can be said without doubt that artificial intelligence (AI) is the future of the world. School and college students are using AI not just for homework and class assignments, but also for exam preparation. However, is it wise to rely on AI for everything? Excessive dependence on artificial intelligence can impair cognitive function. Relying on AI for every detail of your studies can diminish your mental engagement, leading to self-doubt even when you are capable and knowledgeable. If you’re a student with access to AI tools, it’s important to learn how to use them effectively.
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