Exclusive 🦉 “Education Super App” — Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn announces next product on TBOY
Apr 22, 2025
auto_awesome
Luis von Ahn, the Co-founder and CEO of Duolingo, shares his innovative vision for transforming language learning into an addictive experience. He proudly discusses how gamification strategies like notifications and streak tracking keep over 40 million users engaged daily. Excitingly, he announces Duolingo's next venture: a chess feature aimed at enhancing logical thinking. Luis also delves into the freemium model's impact, revealing how wealthier users help subsidize education for less fortunate learners, proving that learning can be fun and accessible for all.
Luis von Ahn emphasizes the importance of gamification in Duolingo's success, making education addictive through engaging features and notifications.
Duolingo's decision to operate from Pittsburgh allows the company to attract unique talent and foster long-term employee development away from Silicon Valley distractions.
The introduction of chess to Duolingo's offerings highlights a commitment to enhancing critical thinking skills through diverse educational subjects.
Deep dives
Luis von Ahn's People-Pleasing Nature
Luis von Ahn describes himself as a people pleaser, influenced by his upbringing and familial values that emphasize prioritizing others' needs over one's own. This inclination sometimes poses challenges in leadership as it can make delivering uncomfortable messages difficult. Over time, he has adapted his communication style to be more direct, especially after learning valuable lessons from experiences like sugar-coating a firing so much that the person involved returned to work the next day unaware of the situation. This evolution signifies his growth as a leader, balancing empathy with the necessity of making tough decisions.
Why Duolingo Stays in Pittsburgh
Duolingo's decision to base its operations in Pittsburgh, rather than the traditional tech hub of Silicon Valley, stems from its founders' roots and the unique advantages of the location. The company benefits from a stable workforce with low turnover, enabling long-term employee development and expertise. Furthermore, being in Pittsburgh gives Duolingo access to executive talent that may not have considered joining a Silicon Valley company, thus attracting individuals with exceptional experience. This strategy has allowed the company to focus intently on its mission of education, free from the distractions of fleeting tech trends prevalent in Silicon Valley.
Gamification and Psychological Engagement
Duolingo's success is significantly attributed to its innovative gamification techniques, aimed at enhancing user engagement and retention. Luis explains how the app employs elements like short lesson durations, progress tracking, and streaks to keep users motivated on their language-learning journeys. The team continuously experiments with user notifications, leveraging guilt and personalized communication to prompt users back into learning routines. By intertwining entertainment with education, Duolingo creates an addictive yet productive experience, catering to users’ emotional triggers to maintain daily engagement.
Freemium Model Enabling Equal Access
Duolingo incorporates a freemium model that allows universal access to its platform, meaning anyone can learn languages without financial barriers. A small percentage of paid subscribers effectively subsidizes the free service, ensuring that users from all economic backgrounds can benefit from the app. This structure not only democratizes education but also fosters a diverse user base, including everyone from professionals to refugees, without creating a tiered system of knowledge. Luis emphasizes this unique position, asserting that the wealth generated by subscribers indirectly funds the education of those who cannot pay.
The Upcoming Chess Learning Feature
Duolingo is set to expand its educational offerings by introducing chess as a new learning subject, guided by the belief that chess can enhance logical thinking. This initiative originated from discussions around improving critical thinking skills in education systems like that of Luis's home country, Guatemala. The development was fast-tracked using large language models, which allowed team members to create prototypes without needing extensive engineering resources. This showcases Duolingo's commitment to broadening the scope of self-directed learning by integrating subjects that engage the mind and encourage strategic thought.
How do you get someone to learn everyday? Make it addictive… in a good way. Luis von Ahn has mastered engagement with Duolingo, transforming it into the largest education app on earth with over 40M daily users.
And in our exclusive interview, Duolingo CEO announces the next product: Chess.
In this episode, you’ll hear…
Why the CEO (proudly) calls Duolingo “addictive”
Why he will never open an office in Silicon Valley
The psychology behind push notifications, streaks, and the unhinged owl
Duolingo’s viral super bowl commercial (aka “The Growing Butt”)
Using fire to fire fight in the fight against social media
“If it’s not fun, it won’t work”
Why “screen-time” isn’t a problem — it’s inevitable
Why artists will beat nerds in the age of AI
How millionaires on Duolingo subsidize migrants
Why Duolingo employees didn’t want to make money (at first)
