The backlash against Duolingo going ‘AI-first’ didn’t even matter

Despite user backlash over becoming "AI-first" and reducing human workers, Duolingo's financials remain strong with stock rising 30% after beating quarterly revenue estimates. The language-learning app expanded to 148 new courses using AI, approaching $1 billion in revenue with 40% user growth. CEO von Ahn acknowledged the social media criticism but emphasized that improving sentiment was key, while the company's bottom line remained healthy despite ongoing public criticism.