Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn has responded to criticism over his “AI-first company” memo, saying the controversy was based on a lack of context.

In an interview with The New York Times, von Ahn explained that while the memo was viewed as controversial externally, internally it was not. Many assumed the shift was profit-driven or meant to replace human workers. He clarified that the company has “never laid off any full-time employees” and has no plans to do so.

Von Ahn acknowledged that Duolingo reduced some contractor roles but noted that the contractor workforce has always fluctuated depending on the company’s needs.

Despite the backlash, Duolingo remains committed to using AI in its products. The company dedicates Friday mornings to testing AI, an initiative humorously referred to as “f-r-AI-days.”

Von Ahn emphasized that AI is not about replacing people but about creating better learning tools and keeping Duolingo ahead in the fast-growing edtech space.