Masters of Scale A masterclass in crowdsourcing, w/Duolingo's Luis von Ahn
May 26, 2020
Luis von Ahn, Founder and CEO of Duolingo, shares insights from his journey in revolutionizing language learning for over 300 million users. He discusses how crowdsourcing has been pivotal, aligning user passion with the company's mission. The conversation dives into the fascinating evolution of CAPTCHA technology and the transformative power of community engagement. Gamification strategies, like leaderboards, enhance user experience, while challenges in monetization reveal the delicate balance between free education and business sustainability.
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Free Gym Idea
- At 12, Luis von Ahn wanted to create a free gym powered by user-generated electricity.
- This idea, though innovative, was flawed due to humans' inefficient energy generation and gym's business models.
Shared Mission in Crowdsourcing
- Crowdsourcing requires a shared mission between the crowd and the business.
- A misalignment in motivation, like in the free gym example, leads to ineffective crowdsourcing.
TOEFL Experience
- Luis von Ahn had to fly to El Salvador to take the TOEFL exam due to a lack of seats in Guatemala.
- This experience sparked his desire to find a better way to assess language proficiency.
