How Duolingo built an AI conversation bot - Zan Gilani (Principal Product Manager, Duolingo)
Mar 12, 2025
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Zan Gilani, Principal Product Manager at Duolingo, shares intriguing insights into the AI avatar, Lily, enhancing language learning through conversation practice. He discusses the challenges of creating engaging conversational AI and emphasizes emotional well-being in the learning process. Zan also reveals Duolingo's innovative approach to gamification and user engagement, and how strategic A/B testing has shaped their product evolution. The conversation wraps up with valuable lessons on measuring success in learning products and scaling effectively.
Duolingo's AI avatar, Lily, enhances conversational practice by simulating authentic dialogues, making language learning more engaging and personalized.
The importance of creating a stress-free learning environment encourages risk-taking among learners, allowing for organic language improvement without immediate feedback.
Deep dives
The Evolution of Duolingo and AI Integration
Zan Galani, a Principal Product Manager at Duolingo, details his journey from marketing intern to leading innovative projects within the company. He emphasizes how Duolingo has evolved from a small team of fewer than 40 people to a workforce of over 800, marking its success as a critical player in the educational technology space. The integration of AI into their learning platform is exemplified through the introduction of Lily, an AI avatar designed to enhance conversational practice for language learners. This ambitious move allows users to engage in real-time dialogues, simulating authentic interactions to improve language fluency.
Key Principles for a Successful Conversational AI
To create an engaging learning experience, Duolingo focuses on several guiding principles for their conversational AI, particularly Lily. Authenticity is prioritized, ensuring that interactions mirror real-life conversations rather than scripted dialogues. The character's design incorporates a sense of memory, which helps foster a perceived relationship between users and Lily, making the learning environment feel more personalized. Additionally, the importance of entertainment is stressed; the interactions with Lily are infused with personality traits, making her relatable and enjoyable rather than a sterile digital assistant.
Stress-Free Learning Through Gamification
A key aspect of Duolingo's approach to language learning is creating a stress-free environment that encourages engagement and risk-taking among learners. Zan discusses how speaking a new language can be intimidating, and by not focusing excessively on immediate feedback, learners can feel more at ease during conversations. By allowing users to make mistakes without fear of instant correction, they can retain their confidence and improve organically. This mindset aligns with Duolingo's overarching philosophy of integrating gamification into learning, thereby making it enjoyable and motivating for users.
In our latest conversation on The Product Experience podcast, Zan Gilani, Principal Product Manager at Duolingo, discusses the innovative use of AI in language learning, particularly through the video call feature with their character, Lily.
He shares lessons on creating the new video feature and highlights the principles that guide Duolingo's product management approach.
Our Hosts Lily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She’s currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She’s worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath.
Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury’s. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group’s Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He’s the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager’s Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon’s music stores in the US & UK.
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