Duolingo's primary mission is to provide equal access to education for everyone, leveraging the widespread availability of smartphones

Duolingo started with foreign languages because of the high demand and the direct financial benefits of learning a new language, especially English

Focus on language learning

Duolingo uses a freemium model, allowing users to learn for free, with the option to pay for a subscription to remove ads. This model leads to a small form of wealth redistribution, where users in wealthier countries subsidize education for those in poorer countries

Freemium Model

The challenge of delivering education via smartphones, which are also used for addictive apps, like social media and mobile games is addressed by making learning engaging

Making "Broccoli Taste Like Dessert"

Duolingo employs psychological techniques similar to those used by addictive apps to keep users engaged. Examples include:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Streaks: A counter that tracks consecutive days of use, motivating users to return daily</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Notifications: A sophisticated AI system determines when and what to send in notifications to encourage users to return. Even passive-aggressive notifications can be efective</li></ul>

Gamification

While Duolingo may not be as engaging as apps like TikTok or Instagram, the meaning users derive from learning provides additional motivation

Meaning vs Engagement

Duolingo uses a green owl mascot in its notifications, which has become a subject of internet memes, further embedding Duolingo in popular culture

Mascot

Duolingo has a significant reach, with more people learning languages on the app in the U.S. than in all U.S. high schools combined

Reach

Luis hopes to apply Duolingo's approach to other subjects like math and physics, to make screen time a beneficial activity

Future Goals

Subjects learned through repetition can be gamified in the style of Duolingo

Luis von Ahn explains how Duolingo harnesses the psychological techniques of social media and mobile games to get you excited to learn — all while spreading access to education across the world.

When technologist Luis von Ahn was building the popular language-learning platform Duolingo, he faced a big problem: Could an app designed to teach you something ever compete with addictive platforms like Instagram and TikTok? He explains how Duolingo harnesses the psychological techniques of social media and mobile games to get you excited to learn — all while spreading access to education across the world.

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