Cem Kansu

Cem Kansu, Chief Product Officer at Duolingo, leads the charge in product innovation for over 90 million learners. He discusses how smaller teams can drive faster development, and delves into Duolingo’s strategy for successful AI integration. Cem shares insights on monetization challenges, the effectiveness of targeted paywalls, and the quirky psychology behind retention strategies. He reflects on the future of product managers in an AI-driven world, sparking a thought-provoking debate on the balance between user engagement and monetization.

Cem Kansu, the Head of Product at Duolingo, shares insights into the app's explosive growth, driving it to over 100 million active users and $500 million in revenue. He highlights Duolingo's unique 'unhinged' philosophy and how gamification transforms learning into a fun experience. Cem reveals the secret sauce of user retention, discusses innovative revenue strategies, and ponders whether AI will change the landscape of education. Tune in for a look at the playful yet strategic approach shaping the future of language learning!

Cem Kansu, VP of Product at Duolingo, analyzes OpenAI's DevDay and Airbnb's release strategy. They discuss Duolingo's expansion into math and music, the implications of OpenAI's GPT store, and the challenges of customization and monetization in the GPT ecosystem.

In this second episode of The Science of Change, our host Kristen Berman dives into one of the most successful apps for language learning: Duolingo. Kristen sits with Duolingo’s Head of Product Management Cem Kansu to talk about the ways this amazing app keeps people engaged and learning. From their daily streaks and batches, all the way to the length and difficulty of each exercise, Kristen and Cem unpack the behavioral science behind Duolingo App. Listen now and learn from the challenges, Cem and his team have managed to successfully solve in their commitment to education. Have you reached your daily goal?Jump straight into:(01:09) - How Duolingo keeps its users motivated: Reducing barriers and keeping streaks without losing the focus on learning.(05:11) - The sweet spot for creating a daily habit: How Duolingo uses freezes and repairs to keep users engaged in a gamified language-learning method. (14:59) - Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic motivation: Why Duolingo asks you how much you want to practice every day. (19:54) - AB Testing: The best tactics to get users to upgrade their subscription and try their Duolingo Plus free week. (24:57) - Running out of lives?: How Duolingo makes you practice active learning by tracking your errors and making each answer count.(30:31) - The theory of learning: Levels, skills, and how to get people to dive into a new level of difficulty.(41:56) - Measuring for today and tomorrow: How Duolingo measures learning and what will be the future of learning a language on mobile.  Episode resourcesAdditional reading, resources and literature review on language learninng Connect with Cem through LinkedInDuolingoThank you for listening to The Science of Change. Reach out to Kristen through LinkedIn and visit The Irrational Labs website for more information on behavioral science. This show is presented by SetSail (follow on LinkedIn) and produced by Kristen Berman and Studio Pod Media. The executive producer is Rachael Roberts. All episodes are written by Jack Bueher. Music and editing provided by nodalab.

Cem Kansu, the Vice President of Product at Duolingo, shares insights from his nine-year journey driving the company's growth. He discusses the balance of gamification and educational accessibility in Duolingo’s freemium model, highlighting how innovative features like voice AI enhance personalized learning. Cem also explores the evolution of the platform into new subjects like math and music, the impact of A/B testing on monetization strategies, and the significance of making language education both effective and enjoyable.