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2025-06-05 09:23:07 ·

The Longevity Lessons: Johnson Banks (est. 1992)

5 June, 2025

In this series, Clare Dowdy speaks with design studios that are 30+ years old, to find out some of the secrets behind their longevity.

Michael Johnson set up his London-based brand consultancy Johnson Banks in 1992. From Duolingo to Pink Floyd, Cancer Research UK to the Royal Astronomical Society, the studio works with “people who want to do big things.”
He sat down with Clare Dowdy to discuss what he’s learned over the past 33 years.
Michael Johnson
How did Johnson Banks come about?
My 20s were very turbulent: eight jobs in eight years, a lot of different countries, different cities, learning on the job. My last job – at Smith & Milton – was relatively settled, I was kind of running a corporate design department.
I had a client there, Tom Banks. After I left, he also left his role at Legal & General with the projects I had been working on, and we used that as a basis for the company.
That was 1992, the back end of a recession. For a couple of years, everything was fine. Then we started having “creative differences.” And the pressures of running a tiny design company are substantial. So we parted ways in 1995, but I kept the name.
Johnson Banks’ symbol for the V&A’s William Morris show
At that time, we weren’t really in the branding world. For a decade, we were very distracted by getting on the graphic design map, trying to win D&AD awards, doing lovely stamp projects.
And then we started to get some cultural projects: the V&A and the British Council. I started to think, OK, now we’re beginning to show what we can do.
When and why did you start thinking seriously about your strategy offering?
When we started to get into the branding arena, I knew we were underpowered in terms of the strategic thinking.
I may have thought that I could do it, but it takes a bit to persuade clients when you’re 35, with hair almost down to your knees. If you’re up against important-looking people who can field a few grey hairs, you’re going to lose that pitch.
So we partnered with strategic companies like management consultancy Circus, and followed that model for much of the 2000s. That led to the Shelter rebrand, and a few other quite big branding projects followed.
Johnson Banks’ visual identity for Shelter
Eventually we realised that we could do the strategy ourselves. I had sometimes been a little frustrated by the work that my strategic partners – naming no names – were doing.
It sounds a bit mean, but sometimes I would get this 90-page PowerPoint document from them, and I’d put it on my designers’ desks, and their faces would go blank.
I think that 20 years ago, there was still a bit of the idea that you’ve paid £100,000, so here’s your huge document.
We slowly realised that if we were in control of the process, and were involved all the way through, then that jump out of the verbal brand to the visual brand could be much better managed.
How did you rethink your strategy offer?
The penny dropped in the mid-2000s when we worked with The Children.
At the time, and I don’t think they’d mind me saying this, The Children were a bit of a basket case. They were associated with WI fairs and cake baking, and they had a royal as their patron – they were nothing like what they are now.
I realised we needed to work out what they stood for before we did any design.
I did this huge chart, and stuck it on a wall at the client’s office. And I said, it strikes me that there are strategic choices that you have got to make as a comms team about where you want to take the the Children brand.
Johnson Banks’ poster for the Children
That was an incredibly productive meeting, and also it helped us realise that before we got anywhere near the design, we needed to sort this out. I know that sounds like really basic stuff now.
I didn’t trust my instinct for a decade or so, but in that the Children meeting, a light bulb went on for me.
Once you’d worked out how to do strategy in-house why didn’t you scale up?
A lot of companies would have done that. That’s how companies grow, and can end up quite quickly at 60 people.
We have nearly always been around six to eight people. Because I could bridge that gap between the verbal and the visual, it meant we didn’t need to add people.
And I’ve discovered over the last 25 years, that with a really good account director, Katherine Heaton, and me, and a design team, there is a heck of a lot that we can do.
So we stayed small and partnered with filmmakers, animators, cultural specialists. Post-pandemic, a lot of people have adopted that hub and spoke model – we did it 20 years ago.
Probably twice a year we’ll lose a pitch because of our scale. But conversely, with some clients you can sell in the fact that they’ll always deal with Michael Johnson. They’re not going to be handed down the chain, because there is no chain.
Johnson Banks’ logos for Jodrell Bank
Alongside this direct contact with you, what’s your main selling point?
It seems to be that we think pretty hard about stuff. We almost never jump into design. A lot of thought goes into what we do, sometimes way too much.
Sometimes our projects are incredibly difficult, gargantuan, intertwined and really hard to unpick. That’s a slightly poisoned chalice, because then people go, gosh, well, if they could unpick that, then they could unpick our Gordian knot.
For example, we’re working on a major London university brand at the moment that has over 60,000 staff and students, 11 faculties, and hundreds of centres and institutes and departments, and we’re trying to navigate a way through.
How did you work out what you wanted to specialise in?
Sometimes you can get sucked into something that you just don’t want to be doing.
By the end of the 1990s, Johnson Banks had got a reputation for doing annual reports. Part of me quite liked doing them because there was an interplay between words and pictures. And we were getting senior level access to clients, which makes you feel a bit better, because you’re having an interface with chief executives.
But then I was thinking, hang on, we’re in danger of getting stuck here, because of course, they’re cyclical. And the death of the annual report – and the death of print – was coming over the horizon, with the internet.
Johnson Banks’ Annual Report for PolygramSince then, my interests have changed. I do not have any interest any more in doing awful blue chips or terrible fintechs. I want to apply all the comms and the branding that I’ve learned to people who could really use it – not-for-profit, culture, education, philanthropy. You know, doing good.
How did you build up this not-for-profit work?
You lean into the referrals you’ll inevitably get within silos where you want to be referred.
I learned this from Mary Lewis of Lewis Moberly. We were pretty close in the 1990s and she always said that referral business is the best business.
Over 85% of our clients are not-for-profit – most design companies have a 20-80 split between non-profits and commercial clients. I never liked that ratio, what you might cruelly call ‘the Robin Hood principle’ – we are going to steal from our luxury car account and give to the charity.
We did do a bit of that for a while. We did an airline in 2009/10 at the same time we were doing charities. I would justify that with the Robin Hood principle, but I just felt more and more uncomfortable with that.
Johnson Banks’ campaign visuals for Cancer Research UK
As our percentages went up and up in not-for-profit, eventually I said, look, we should just tell people this is who we are, and this is what we do. It was obvious anyway, so let’s be explicit about it.
A few people said we were crazy, that we’d never get any work. But the reverse has been the case. We’re on our sixth environmental project. If you say this is what we want to do, and this is what we will do for you, then I think, funnily enough, clients find that very helpful.
How did you build up to bigger projects?
Let’s take education. We’ve done three or four really interesting campaigns for universities and now we’re in the position where we can do university rebrands, and have won a top 10 global university. But it has taken 15 years of education work to get to that point.
I may not have thought that it would take quite so long to persuade people that we could do their identity. But education is a very conservative sector, and moves slowly, like museums and galleries.
If you’re small, you can afford for a sector to move slowly, whereas bigger agencies need a pipeline. I’ve watched dozens of companies get to this critical point where they’ve grown and grown and then they’ve just fallen off the cliff because they’ve been feeding the monster.
To help with that, agencies often add a new business person. No-one ever talks about this, but a new business person costs around £50,000.
The rule of thumb, in my world at least, is that you have to take that salary and triple it with turnover to pay that salary. So you need £150,000 worth of projects to pay for the new business person before you’ve made a penny.
So to make a profit, the new business person has to bring in over £200,000 of work. And if this person can do it, which is not guaranteed, then the company has to scale. It’s so easy to get caught on a treadmill.
What else has helped you stay in business so long?
We’ve always led with the thought behind the idea, not the way it looked. Because I was always much more interested in the idea behind something, I think that has helped us not get sucked into the visual, to use the type face du jour, the colour that everyone else is using.
And it’s understandable, because graphic designers want to do stuff that their peers really like. But paradoxically the trick, in my opinion, is to try and zag away from the trends. Create a new trend yourself.
Johnson Banks’ globe symbol for the COP 26 climate conference

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What to read next

Neville Brody on clients, education, and his unexpected OBE

Graphic Design
30 Jan, 2025
#longevity #lessons #johnson #banks #est

The Longevity Lessons: Johnson Banks (est. 1992)
5 June, 2025 In this series, Clare Dowdy speaks with design studios that are 30+ years old, to find out some of the secrets behind their longevity. Michael Johnson set up his London-based brand consultancy Johnson Banks in 1992. From Duolingo to Pink Floyd, Cancer Research UK to the Royal Astronomical Society, the studio works with “people who want to do big things.” He sat down with Clare Dowdy to discuss what he’s learned over the past 33 years. Michael Johnson How did Johnson Banks come about? My 20s were very turbulent: eight jobs in eight years, a lot of different countries, different cities, learning on the job. My last job – at Smith & Milton – was relatively settled, I was kind of running a corporate design department. I had a client there, Tom Banks. After I left, he also left his role at Legal & General with the projects I had been working on, and we used that as a basis for the company. That was 1992, the back end of a recession. For a couple of years, everything was fine. Then we started having “creative differences.” And the pressures of running a tiny design company are substantial. So we parted ways in 1995, but I kept the name. Johnson Banks’ symbol for the V&A’s William Morris show At that time, we weren’t really in the branding world. For a decade, we were very distracted by getting on the graphic design map, trying to win D&AD awards, doing lovely stamp projects. And then we started to get some cultural projects: the V&A and the British Council. I started to think, OK, now we’re beginning to show what we can do. When and why did you start thinking seriously about your strategy offering? When we started to get into the branding arena, I knew we were underpowered in terms of the strategic thinking. I may have thought that I could do it, but it takes a bit to persuade clients when you’re 35, with hair almost down to your knees. If you’re up against important-looking people who can field a few grey hairs, you’re going to lose that pitch. So we partnered with strategic companies like management consultancy Circus, and followed that model for much of the 2000s. That led to the Shelter rebrand, and a few other quite big branding projects followed. Johnson Banks’ visual identity for Shelter Eventually we realised that we could do the strategy ourselves. I had sometimes been a little frustrated by the work that my strategic partners – naming no names – were doing. It sounds a bit mean, but sometimes I would get this 90-page PowerPoint document from them, and I’d put it on my designers’ desks, and their faces would go blank. I think that 20 years ago, there was still a bit of the idea that you’ve paid £100,000, so here’s your huge document. We slowly realised that if we were in control of the process, and were involved all the way through, then that jump out of the verbal brand to the visual brand could be much better managed. How did you rethink your strategy offer? The penny dropped in the mid-2000s when we worked with The Children. At the time, and I don’t think they’d mind me saying this, The Children were a bit of a basket case. They were associated with WI fairs and cake baking, and they had a royal as their patron – they were nothing like what they are now. I realised we needed to work out what they stood for before we did any design. I did this huge chart, and stuck it on a wall at the client’s office. And I said, it strikes me that there are strategic choices that you have got to make as a comms team about where you want to take the the Children brand. Johnson Banks’ poster for the Children That was an incredibly productive meeting, and also it helped us realise that before we got anywhere near the design, we needed to sort this out. I know that sounds like really basic stuff now. I didn’t trust my instinct for a decade or so, but in that the Children meeting, a light bulb went on for me. Once you’d worked out how to do strategy in-house why didn’t you scale up? A lot of companies would have done that. That’s how companies grow, and can end up quite quickly at 60 people. We have nearly always been around six to eight people. Because I could bridge that gap between the verbal and the visual, it meant we didn’t need to add people. And I’ve discovered over the last 25 years, that with a really good account director, Katherine Heaton, and me, and a design team, there is a heck of a lot that we can do. So we stayed small and partnered with filmmakers, animators, cultural specialists. Post-pandemic, a lot of people have adopted that hub and spoke model – we did it 20 years ago. Probably twice a year we’ll lose a pitch because of our scale. But conversely, with some clients you can sell in the fact that they’ll always deal with Michael Johnson. They’re not going to be handed down the chain, because there is no chain. Johnson Banks’ logos for Jodrell Bank Alongside this direct contact with you, what’s your main selling point? It seems to be that we think pretty hard about stuff. We almost never jump into design. A lot of thought goes into what we do, sometimes way too much. Sometimes our projects are incredibly difficult, gargantuan, intertwined and really hard to unpick. That’s a slightly poisoned chalice, because then people go, gosh, well, if they could unpick that, then they could unpick our Gordian knot. For example, we’re working on a major London university brand at the moment that has over 60,000 staff and students, 11 faculties, and hundreds of centres and institutes and departments, and we’re trying to navigate a way through. How did you work out what you wanted to specialise in? Sometimes you can get sucked into something that you just don’t want to be doing. By the end of the 1990s, Johnson Banks had got a reputation for doing annual reports. Part of me quite liked doing them because there was an interplay between words and pictures. And we were getting senior level access to clients, which makes you feel a bit better, because you’re having an interface with chief executives. But then I was thinking, hang on, we’re in danger of getting stuck here, because of course, they’re cyclical. And the death of the annual report – and the death of print – was coming over the horizon, with the internet. Johnson Banks’ Annual Report for PolygramSince then, my interests have changed. I do not have any interest any more in doing awful blue chips or terrible fintechs. I want to apply all the comms and the branding that I’ve learned to people who could really use it – not-for-profit, culture, education, philanthropy. You know, doing good. How did you build up this not-for-profit work? You lean into the referrals you’ll inevitably get within silos where you want to be referred. I learned this from Mary Lewis of Lewis Moberly. We were pretty close in the 1990s and she always said that referral business is the best business. Over 85% of our clients are not-for-profit – most design companies have a 20-80 split between non-profits and commercial clients. I never liked that ratio, what you might cruelly call ‘the Robin Hood principle’ – we are going to steal from our luxury car account and give to the charity. We did do a bit of that for a while. We did an airline in 2009/10 at the same time we were doing charities. I would justify that with the Robin Hood principle, but I just felt more and more uncomfortable with that. Johnson Banks’ campaign visuals for Cancer Research UK As our percentages went up and up in not-for-profit, eventually I said, look, we should just tell people this is who we are, and this is what we do. It was obvious anyway, so let’s be explicit about it. A few people said we were crazy, that we’d never get any work. But the reverse has been the case. We’re on our sixth environmental project. If you say this is what we want to do, and this is what we will do for you, then I think, funnily enough, clients find that very helpful. How did you build up to bigger projects? Let’s take education. We’ve done three or four really interesting campaigns for universities and now we’re in the position where we can do university rebrands, and have won a top 10 global university. But it has taken 15 years of education work to get to that point. I may not have thought that it would take quite so long to persuade people that we could do their identity. But education is a very conservative sector, and moves slowly, like museums and galleries. If you’re small, you can afford for a sector to move slowly, whereas bigger agencies need a pipeline. I’ve watched dozens of companies get to this critical point where they’ve grown and grown and then they’ve just fallen off the cliff because they’ve been feeding the monster. To help with that, agencies often add a new business person. No-one ever talks about this, but a new business person costs around £50,000. The rule of thumb, in my world at least, is that you have to take that salary and triple it with turnover to pay that salary. So you need £150,000 worth of projects to pay for the new business person before you’ve made a penny. So to make a profit, the new business person has to bring in over £200,000 of work. And if this person can do it, which is not guaranteed, then the company has to scale. It’s so easy to get caught on a treadmill. What else has helped you stay in business so long? We’ve always led with the thought behind the idea, not the way it looked. Because I was always much more interested in the idea behind something, I think that has helped us not get sucked into the visual, to use the type face du jour, the colour that everyone else is using. And it’s understandable, because graphic designers want to do stuff that their peers really like. But paradoxically the trick, in my opinion, is to try and zag away from the trends. Create a new trend yourself. Johnson Banks’ globe symbol for the COP 26 climate conference Design disciplines in this article Industries in this article Brands in this article What to read next Neville Brody on clients, education, and his unexpected OBE Graphic Design 30 Jan, 2025 #longevity #lessons #johnson #banks #est

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The Longevity Lessons: Johnson Banks (est. 1992)

5 June, 2025 In this series, Clare Dowdy speaks with design studios that are 30+ years old, to find out some of the secrets behind their longevity. Michael Johnson set up his London-based brand consultancy Johnson Banks in 1992. From Duolingo to Pink Floyd, Cancer Research UK to the Royal Astronomical Society, the studio works with “people who want to do big things.” He sat down with Clare Dowdy to discuss what he’s learned over the past 33 years. Michael Johnson How did Johnson Banks come about? My 20s were very turbulent: eight jobs in eight years, a lot of different countries, different cities, learning on the job. My last job – at Smith & Milton – was relatively settled, I was kind of running a corporate design department. I had a client there, Tom Banks. After I left, he also left his role at Legal & General with the projects I had been working on, and we used that as a basis for the company. That was 1992, the back end of a recession. For a couple of years, everything was fine. Then we started having “creative differences.” And the pressures of running a tiny design company are substantial. So we parted ways in 1995, but I kept the name. Johnson Banks’ symbol for the V&A’s William Morris show At that time, we weren’t really in the branding world. For a decade, we were very distracted by getting on the graphic design map, trying to win D&AD awards, doing lovely stamp projects. And then we started to get some cultural projects: the V&A and the British Council. I started to think, OK, now we’re beginning to show what we can do. When and why did you start thinking seriously about your strategy offering? When we started to get into the branding arena, I knew we were underpowered in terms of the strategic thinking. I may have thought that I could do it, but it takes a bit to persuade clients when you’re 35, with hair almost down to your knees. If you’re up against important-looking people who can field a few grey hairs, you’re going to lose that pitch. So we partnered with strategic companies like management consultancy Circus, and followed that model for much of the 2000s. That led to the Shelter rebrand, and a few other quite big branding projects followed. Johnson Banks’ visual identity for Shelter Eventually we realised that we could do the strategy ourselves. I had sometimes been a little frustrated by the work that my strategic partners – naming no names – were doing. It sounds a bit mean, but sometimes I would get this 90-page PowerPoint document from them, and I’d put it on my designers’ desks, and their faces would go blank. I think that 20 years ago, there was still a bit of the idea that you’ve paid £100,000, so here’s your huge document. We slowly realised that if we were in control of the process, and were involved all the way through, then that jump out of the verbal brand to the visual brand could be much better managed. How did you rethink your strategy offer? The penny dropped in the mid-2000s when we worked with Save The Children. At the time, and I don’t think they’d mind me saying this, Save The Children were a bit of a basket case. They were associated with WI fairs and cake baking, and they had a royal as their patron – they were nothing like what they are now. I realised we needed to work out what they stood for before we did any design. I did this huge chart, and stuck it on a wall at the client’s office. And I said, it strikes me that there are strategic choices that you have got to make as a comms team about where you want to take the Save the Children brand. Johnson Banks’ poster for Save the Children That was an incredibly productive meeting, and also it helped us realise that before we got anywhere near the design, we needed to sort this out. I know that sounds like really basic stuff now. I didn’t trust my instinct for a decade or so, but in that Save the Children meeting, a light bulb went on for me. Once you’d worked out how to do strategy in-house why didn’t you scale up? A lot of companies would have done that. That’s how companies grow, and can end up quite quickly at 60 people. We have nearly always been around six to eight people. Because I could bridge that gap between the verbal and the visual, it meant we didn’t need to add people. And I’ve discovered over the last 25 years, that with a really good account director, Katherine Heaton, and me, and a design team, there is a heck of a lot that we can do. So we stayed small and partnered with filmmakers, animators, cultural specialists. Post-pandemic, a lot of people have adopted that hub and spoke model – we did it 20 years ago. Probably twice a year we’ll lose a pitch because of our scale. But conversely, with some clients you can sell in the fact that they’ll always deal with Michael Johnson. They’re not going to be handed down the chain, because there is no chain. Johnson Banks’ logos for Jodrell Bank Alongside this direct contact with you, what’s your main selling point? It seems to be that we think pretty hard about stuff. We almost never jump into design. A lot of thought goes into what we do, sometimes way too much. Sometimes our projects are incredibly difficult, gargantuan, intertwined and really hard to unpick. That’s a slightly poisoned chalice, because then people go, gosh, well, if they could unpick that, then they could unpick our Gordian knot. For example, we’re working on a major London university brand at the moment that has over 60,000 staff and students, 11 faculties, and hundreds of centres and institutes and departments, and we’re trying to navigate a way through. How did you work out what you wanted to specialise in? Sometimes you can get sucked into something that you just don’t want to be doing. By the end of the 1990s, Johnson Banks had got a reputation for doing annual reports. Part of me quite liked doing them because there was an interplay between words and pictures. And we were getting senior level access to clients, which makes you feel a bit better, because you’re having an interface with chief executives. But then I was thinking, hang on, we’re in danger of getting stuck here, because of course, they’re cyclical. And the death of the annual report – and the death of print – was coming over the horizon, with the internet. Johnson Banks’ Annual Report for Polygram (1995) Since then, my interests have changed. I do not have any interest any more in doing awful blue chips or terrible fintechs. I want to apply all the comms and the branding that I’ve learned to people who could really use it – not-for-profit, culture, education, philanthropy. You know, doing good. How did you build up this not-for-profit work? You lean into the referrals you’ll inevitably get within silos where you want to be referred. I learned this from Mary Lewis of Lewis Moberly. We were pretty close in the 1990s and she always said that referral business is the best business. Over 85% of our clients are not-for-profit – most design companies have a 20-80 split between non-profits and commercial clients. I never liked that ratio, what you might cruelly call ‘the Robin Hood principle’ – we are going to steal from our luxury car account and give to the charity. We did do a bit of that for a while. We did an airline in 2009/10 at the same time we were doing charities. I would justify that with the Robin Hood principle, but I just felt more and more uncomfortable with that. Johnson Banks’ campaign visuals for Cancer Research UK As our percentages went up and up in not-for-profit, eventually I said, look, we should just tell people this is who we are, and this is what we do. It was obvious anyway, so let’s be explicit about it. A few people said we were crazy, that we’d never get any work. But the reverse has been the case. We’re on our sixth environmental project. If you say this is what we want to do, and this is what we will do for you, then I think, funnily enough, clients find that very helpful. How did you build up to bigger projects? Let’s take education. We’ve done three or four really interesting campaigns for universities and now we’re in the position where we can do university rebrands, and have won a top 10 global university. But it has taken 15 years of education work to get to that point. I may not have thought that it would take quite so long to persuade people that we could do their identity. But education is a very conservative sector, and moves slowly, like museums and galleries. If you’re small, you can afford for a sector to move slowly, whereas bigger agencies need a pipeline. I’ve watched dozens of companies get to this critical point where they’ve grown and grown and then they’ve just fallen off the cliff because they’ve been feeding the monster. To help with that, agencies often add a new business person. No-one ever talks about this, but a new business person costs around £50,000. The rule of thumb, in my world at least, is that you have to take that salary and triple it with turnover to pay that salary. So you need £150,000 worth of projects to pay for the new business person before you’ve made a penny. So to make a profit, the new business person has to bring in over £200,000 of work. And if this person can do it, which is not guaranteed, then the company has to scale. It’s so easy to get caught on a treadmill. What else has helped you stay in business so long? We’ve always led with the thought behind the idea, not the way it looked. Because I was always much more interested in the idea behind something, I think that has helped us not get sucked into the visual, to use the type face du jour, the colour that everyone else is using. And it’s understandable, because graphic designers want to do stuff that their peers really like. But paradoxically the trick, in my opinion, is to try and zag away from the trends. Create a new trend yourself. Johnson Banks’ globe symbol for the COP 26 climate conference Design disciplines in this article Industries in this article Brands in this article What to read next Neville Brody on clients, education, and his unexpected OBE Graphic Design 30 Jan, 2025

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2025-05-31 09:21:10 ·

You Can Get a Lifetime License to Qlango for Just $35 Right Now

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.Language learning apps usually fall into two camps—either they’re too rigid and boring, or they gamify things so much that you stop learning and start guessing. Qlango tries to find the middle ground, and right now, you can grab a lifetime subscription for from StackSocial, which gives you access to all 50+ supported languages. That includes the big ones like Spanish, French, and German, plus less common ones like Georgian, Tatar, and even Latin. Whether you're prepping for a trip, brushing up your vocabulary, or just trying to keep your brain busy, it’s a lot of content for not a lot of money.What makes Qlango different is how it forces you to use your target language actively. You don’t spend time translating back into your native tongue—everything you do, from dictation to sentence-building to multiple choice, is centered around the language you’re learning. It uses spaced repetition, so if you miss something, it’ll keep coming back until it sticks. And while that might sound annoying, it’s actually one of the most effective ways to build long-term memory. You can also pick the learning style that suits you best—go slow with word matching, or dive into full sentence translations if you’re up for it.That said, the app’s design isn’t as polished as something like Duolingo, and if you’re someone who needs visual bells and whistles to stay motivated, it might feel a bit barebones. But the real value here is in how flexible it is—you can set your own weekly goals, skip the guilt trips for missing a day, and focus on what actually helps you learn. You can hear the pronunciation of each word, learn nouns with their articles, and build a vocabulary that’s actually useful. If you’ve bounced off other language apps in the past because they either felt too childish or too intense, Qlango might be the middle path you’ve been looking for. And at this price, it’s not a huge risk to find out.
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You Can Get a Lifetime License to Qlango for Just $35 Right Now
We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.Language learning apps usually fall into two camps—either they’re too rigid and boring, or they gamify things so much that you stop learning and start guessing. Qlango tries to find the middle ground, and right now, you can grab a lifetime subscription for from StackSocial, which gives you access to all 50+ supported languages. That includes the big ones like Spanish, French, and German, plus less common ones like Georgian, Tatar, and even Latin. Whether you're prepping for a trip, brushing up your vocabulary, or just trying to keep your brain busy, it’s a lot of content for not a lot of money.What makes Qlango different is how it forces you to use your target language actively. You don’t spend time translating back into your native tongue—everything you do, from dictation to sentence-building to multiple choice, is centered around the language you’re learning. It uses spaced repetition, so if you miss something, it’ll keep coming back until it sticks. And while that might sound annoying, it’s actually one of the most effective ways to build long-term memory. You can also pick the learning style that suits you best—go slow with word matching, or dive into full sentence translations if you’re up for it.That said, the app’s design isn’t as polished as something like Duolingo, and if you’re someone who needs visual bells and whistles to stay motivated, it might feel a bit barebones. But the real value here is in how flexible it is—you can set your own weekly goals, skip the guilt trips for missing a day, and focus on what actually helps you learn. You can hear the pronunciation of each word, learn nouns with their articles, and build a vocabulary that’s actually useful. If you’ve bounced off other language apps in the past because they either felt too childish or too intense, Qlango might be the middle path you’ve been looking for. And at this price, it’s not a huge risk to find out. #you #can #get #lifetime #license

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You Can Get a Lifetime License to Qlango for Just $35 Right Now

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.Language learning apps usually fall into two camps—either they’re too rigid and boring, or they gamify things so much that you stop learning and start guessing. Qlango tries to find the middle ground, and right now, you can grab a lifetime subscription for $34.97 from StackSocial (down from $119.99), which gives you access to all 50+ supported languages. That includes the big ones like Spanish, French, and German, plus less common ones like Georgian, Tatar, and even Latin. Whether you're prepping for a trip, brushing up your vocabulary, or just trying to keep your brain busy, it’s a lot of content for not a lot of money.What makes Qlango different is how it forces you to use your target language actively. You don’t spend time translating back into your native tongue—everything you do, from dictation to sentence-building to multiple choice, is centered around the language you’re learning. It uses spaced repetition, so if you miss something, it’ll keep coming back until it sticks. And while that might sound annoying, it’s actually one of the most effective ways to build long-term memory. You can also pick the learning style that suits you best—go slow with word matching, or dive into full sentence translations if you’re up for it.That said, the app’s design isn’t as polished as something like Duolingo, and if you’re someone who needs visual bells and whistles to stay motivated, it might feel a bit barebones. But the real value here is in how flexible it is—you can set your own weekly goals, skip the guilt trips for missing a day, and focus on what actually helps you learn. You can hear the pronunciation of each word, learn nouns with their articles (super helpful for gendered languages), and build a vocabulary that’s actually useful. If you’ve bounced off other language apps in the past because they either felt too childish or too intense, Qlango might be the middle path you’ve been looking for. And at this price, it’s not a huge risk to find out.

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2025-05-30 14:29:12 ·

Disney+ Expands Subscriber Perks, Including Movie Premieres

Walt Disney Co. is expanding a program of perks for subscribers to its flagship Disney+ streaming service and adding one for Hulu customers.The Disney+ program, which goes into effect Thursday, builds on offers that were first introduced on a one-off basis last year. Subscribers who sign-in through the Disney+ website will be able to redeem perks such as discounts on Disney resorts, free items in video games and acredit at Disney Pinnacle by Dapper Labs, which sells collectible pins. Users will be able to enter contests to win a Disney cruise and attend movie premieres like the upcoming Freakier Friday. The program includes discounts with partners like DoorDash's food delivery app and Duolingo's language-learning product. The perks will be available to US subscribers before an international rollout later this year. Customers will be alerted to offers on social media and through weekly emails.On June 2, the company's Hulu streaming service will debut its own perks program, which will offer subscribers a chance to win tickets to Jimmy Kimmel Live! , Comic-Con and the Lollapalooza music festival. Customers who subscribe to bundles that include both services will able to access perks from both. Streaming services that once focused primarily on signing up new customers are increasingly occupied with keeping customers for as long as possible. The longer subscribers stay with a service, the less likely they are to cancel and the more valuable they are to advertisers.“Our fans are some of the most passionate in the world, and perks are our way of thanking them for subscribing to Disney+,” Samantha Rosenberg, executive vice president, marketing for the service, said in a statement.Disney+ had 126 million global subscribers at the end of March, a one percent increase from the previous quarter, while Hulu had 54.7 million, a two percent gain. The Burbank, California-based entertainment giant has shifted its focus from subscriber growth at all costs to the profitability of its streaming division, which generated million in operating income in the first six months of fiscal 2025. Disney+'s monthly churn rate, or subscriber cancelations, was three percent in April, better than the average for the industry, according to the market researcher Antenna.© 2025 Bloomberg LP
#disney #expands #subscriber #perks #including

Disney+ Expands Subscriber Perks, Including Movie Premieres
Walt Disney Co. is expanding a program of perks for subscribers to its flagship Disney+ streaming service and adding one for Hulu customers.The Disney+ program, which goes into effect Thursday, builds on offers that were first introduced on a one-off basis last year. Subscribers who sign-in through the Disney+ website will be able to redeem perks such as discounts on Disney resorts, free items in video games and acredit at Disney Pinnacle by Dapper Labs, which sells collectible pins. Users will be able to enter contests to win a Disney cruise and attend movie premieres like the upcoming Freakier Friday. The program includes discounts with partners like DoorDash's food delivery app and Duolingo's language-learning product. The perks will be available to US subscribers before an international rollout later this year. Customers will be alerted to offers on social media and through weekly emails.On June 2, the company's Hulu streaming service will debut its own perks program, which will offer subscribers a chance to win tickets to Jimmy Kimmel Live! , Comic-Con and the Lollapalooza music festival. Customers who subscribe to bundles that include both services will able to access perks from both. Streaming services that once focused primarily on signing up new customers are increasingly occupied with keeping customers for as long as possible. The longer subscribers stay with a service, the less likely they are to cancel and the more valuable they are to advertisers.“Our fans are some of the most passionate in the world, and perks are our way of thanking them for subscribing to Disney+,” Samantha Rosenberg, executive vice president, marketing for the service, said in a statement.Disney+ had 126 million global subscribers at the end of March, a one percent increase from the previous quarter, while Hulu had 54.7 million, a two percent gain. The Burbank, California-based entertainment giant has shifted its focus from subscriber growth at all costs to the profitability of its streaming division, which generated million in operating income in the first six months of fiscal 2025. Disney+'s monthly churn rate, or subscriber cancelations, was three percent in April, better than the average for the industry, according to the market researcher Antenna.© 2025 Bloomberg LP #disney #expands #subscriber #perks #including

WWW.GADGETS360.COM

Disney+ Expands Subscriber Perks, Including Movie Premieres

Walt Disney Co. is expanding a program of perks for subscribers to its flagship Disney+ streaming service and adding one for Hulu customers.The Disney+ program, which goes into effect Thursday, builds on offers that were first introduced on a one-off basis last year. Subscribers who sign-in through the Disney+ website will be able to redeem perks such as discounts on Disney resorts, free items in video games and a $10 (roughly Rs. 855) credit at Disney Pinnacle by Dapper Labs, which sells collectible pins. Users will be able to enter contests to win a Disney cruise and attend movie premieres like the upcoming Freakier Friday. The program includes discounts with partners like DoorDash's food delivery app and Duolingo's language-learning product. The perks will be available to US subscribers before an international rollout later this year. Customers will be alerted to offers on social media and through weekly emails.On June 2, the company's Hulu streaming service will debut its own perks program, which will offer subscribers a chance to win tickets to Jimmy Kimmel Live! , Comic-Con and the Lollapalooza music festival. Customers who subscribe to bundles that include both services will able to access perks from both. Streaming services that once focused primarily on signing up new customers are increasingly occupied with keeping customers for as long as possible. The longer subscribers stay with a service, the less likely they are to cancel and the more valuable they are to advertisers.“Our fans are some of the most passionate in the world, and perks are our way of thanking them for subscribing to Disney+,” Samantha Rosenberg, executive vice president, marketing for the service, said in a statement.Disney+ had 126 million global subscribers at the end of March, a one percent increase from the previous quarter, while Hulu had 54.7 million, a two percent gain. The Burbank, California-based entertainment giant has shifted its focus from subscriber growth at all costs to the profitability of its streaming division, which generated $629 million in operating income in the first six months of fiscal 2025. Disney+'s monthly churn rate, or subscriber cancelations, was three percent in April, better than the average for the industry, according to the market researcher Antenna.© 2025 Bloomberg LP(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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2025-05-29 15:47:20 ·

AI could erase half of all entry-level white-collar jobs within five years, warns Anthropic CEO

What just happened? Hearing people warn about the danger that generative AI presents to the global job market is concerning enough, but it's especially worrying when these ominous predictions come from those behind the technology. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, believes that AI could wipe out about half of all entry-level white-collar jobs in the next five years, leading to unemployment spikes up to 20%.
Amodei made his comments during an interview with Axios. He said that AI companies and the government needed to stop "sugar-coating" the potential mass elimination of jobs across technology, finance, law, consulting and other white-collar professions, with entry-level jobs most at risk.

Amodei said he was making this warning public in the hope that the government and other AI giants such as OpenAI will start preparing ways to protect the nation from a situation that could get out of hand.
"Most of them are unaware that this is about to happen," Amodei said. "It sounds crazy, and people just don't believe it."

The CEO's comments are backed up by reports into the state of the jobs market. The US IT job market declined for the second year in a row in 2024. There was also a report from SignalFire that found Big Tech's hiring of new graduates is down by over 50% compared to the pre-pandemic levels of 2019. Startups, meanwhile, have seen their hiring of new grads fall by over 30% during the same period.
We're also seeing huge layoffs across multiple tech companies, a large part of which can be attributed to AI replacing workers' duties.
The one bit of good news for workers is that some firms, including Klarna and Duolingo, are finding that the subpar performance of these bots and the public's negative feelings toward their use are forcing companies to start hiring humans again.
// Related Stories

Amodei's Anthropic AI firm is playing its own part in all this, of course. The company's latest Claude 4 AI model can code at a proficiency level close to that of humans – it's also very good at lying and blackmail.
"We, as the producers of this technology, have a duty and an obligation to be honest about what is coming," Amodei said. "I don't think this is on people's radar."
The AI arms race in this billion-dollar industry is resulting in LLMs improving all the time. And with the US in a battle to stay ahead of China, regulation is rarely high on the government's agenda.
AI companies tend to claim that the technology will augment jobs, helping people become more productive. That might be true right now, but it won't be long before the systems are able to replace the people they are helping.
Amodei says the first step in addressing the problem is to make people more aware of what jobs are vulnerable to AI replacement. Helping workers better understand how AI can augment their jobs could also mitigate job losses, as would more government action. Or there's always OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's solution: universal basic income, though that will come with plenty of issues of its own.
Masthead: kate.sade
#could #erase #half #all #entrylevel

AI could erase half of all entry-level white-collar jobs within five years, warns Anthropic CEO
What just happened? Hearing people warn about the danger that generative AI presents to the global job market is concerning enough, but it's especially worrying when these ominous predictions come from those behind the technology. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, believes that AI could wipe out about half of all entry-level white-collar jobs in the next five years, leading to unemployment spikes up to 20%. Amodei made his comments during an interview with Axios. He said that AI companies and the government needed to stop "sugar-coating" the potential mass elimination of jobs across technology, finance, law, consulting and other white-collar professions, with entry-level jobs most at risk. Amodei said he was making this warning public in the hope that the government and other AI giants such as OpenAI will start preparing ways to protect the nation from a situation that could get out of hand. "Most of them are unaware that this is about to happen," Amodei said. "It sounds crazy, and people just don't believe it." The CEO's comments are backed up by reports into the state of the jobs market. The US IT job market declined for the second year in a row in 2024. There was also a report from SignalFire that found Big Tech's hiring of new graduates is down by over 50% compared to the pre-pandemic levels of 2019. Startups, meanwhile, have seen their hiring of new grads fall by over 30% during the same period. We're also seeing huge layoffs across multiple tech companies, a large part of which can be attributed to AI replacing workers' duties. The one bit of good news for workers is that some firms, including Klarna and Duolingo, are finding that the subpar performance of these bots and the public's negative feelings toward their use are forcing companies to start hiring humans again. // Related Stories Amodei's Anthropic AI firm is playing its own part in all this, of course. The company's latest Claude 4 AI model can code at a proficiency level close to that of humans – it's also very good at lying and blackmail. "We, as the producers of this technology, have a duty and an obligation to be honest about what is coming," Amodei said. "I don't think this is on people's radar." The AI arms race in this billion-dollar industry is resulting in LLMs improving all the time. And with the US in a battle to stay ahead of China, regulation is rarely high on the government's agenda. AI companies tend to claim that the technology will augment jobs, helping people become more productive. That might be true right now, but it won't be long before the systems are able to replace the people they are helping. Amodei says the first step in addressing the problem is to make people more aware of what jobs are vulnerable to AI replacement. Helping workers better understand how AI can augment their jobs could also mitigate job losses, as would more government action. Or there's always OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's solution: universal basic income, though that will come with plenty of issues of its own. Masthead: kate.sade #could #erase #half #all #entrylevel

WWW.TECHSPOT.COM

AI could erase half of all entry-level white-collar jobs within five years, warns Anthropic CEO

What just happened? Hearing people warn about the danger that generative AI presents to the global job market is concerning enough, but it's especially worrying when these ominous predictions come from those behind the technology. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, believes that AI could wipe out about half of all entry-level white-collar jobs in the next five years, leading to unemployment spikes up to 20%. Amodei made his comments during an interview with Axios. He said that AI companies and the government needed to stop "sugar-coating" the potential mass elimination of jobs across technology, finance, law, consulting and other white-collar professions, with entry-level jobs most at risk. Amodei said he was making this warning public in the hope that the government and other AI giants such as OpenAI will start preparing ways to protect the nation from a situation that could get out of hand. "Most of them are unaware that this is about to happen," Amodei said. "It sounds crazy, and people just don't believe it." The CEO's comments are backed up by reports into the state of the jobs market. The US IT job market declined for the second year in a row in 2024. There was also a report from SignalFire that found Big Tech's hiring of new graduates is down by over 50% compared to the pre-pandemic levels of 2019. Startups, meanwhile, have seen their hiring of new grads fall by over 30% during the same period. We're also seeing huge layoffs across multiple tech companies, a large part of which can be attributed to AI replacing workers' duties. The one bit of good news for workers is that some firms, including Klarna and Duolingo, are finding that the subpar performance of these bots and the public's negative feelings toward their use are forcing companies to start hiring humans again. // Related Stories Amodei's Anthropic AI firm is playing its own part in all this, of course. The company's latest Claude 4 AI model can code at a proficiency level close to that of humans – it's also very good at lying and blackmail. "We, as the producers of this technology, have a duty and an obligation to be honest about what is coming," Amodei said. "I don't think this is on people's radar." The AI arms race in this billion-dollar industry is resulting in LLMs improving all the time. And with the US in a battle to stay ahead of China, regulation is rarely high on the government's agenda. AI companies tend to claim that the technology will augment jobs, helping people become more productive. That might be true right now, but it won't be long before the systems are able to replace the people they are helping. Amodei says the first step in addressing the problem is to make people more aware of what jobs are vulnerable to AI replacement. Helping workers better understand how AI can augment their jobs could also mitigate job losses, as would more government action. Or there's always OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's solution: universal basic income, though that will come with plenty of issues of its own. Masthead: kate.sade

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2025-05-26 12:54:33 ·

Duolingo CEO backtracks on AI push after outcry, says human workers still needed

What just happened? Another company has learned that going all-in on AI at the expense of human workers might save money, but the backlash from users can outweigh the financial benefits. Language-learning app Duolingo, whose CEO recently said AI would replace contract workers, has reversed course, stating that the company would "continue to hire" humans and support employees.
At the end of April, Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn announced plans for the firm to become yet another "AI-first" company, meaning more of the technology being integrated into the platform and the eventual elimination of contract workers.
Von Ahn said Duolingo would "gradually stop using contractors to do work AI can handle." He added that proficiency with the technology would become part of workers' annual reviews, and new employees would only be hired "if a team cannot automate more of their work."
The CEO doubled down on his AI praise on the No Priors podcast a week later. He said AI would transform schools as we know them, replacing teachers who would move from instructing students to supervising them as the AI took over traditional teaching duties.
"I also don't think schools are going to go away because you still need childcare," he added.
Last month wasn't the first time von Ahn had shown a willingness to replace humans with AI. In January 2024, 10% of Duolingo's contract workers were laid off due to the technology.
// Related Stories

Unsurprisingly, von Ahn's push hasn't been well received by both Duolingo's users and the majority of the public. The company tried to address the controversy in an Instagram post that manages to hugely miss the mark. The most liked comment reads, "Call us old-fashioned, but we prefer our lessons to be taught by humans."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by DuolingoIt appears that von Ahn has decided that the bad publicity isn't worth the headache. In a LinkedIn post providing "more context to my vision," von Ahn wrote, "To be clear: I do not see AI as replacing what our employees do. I see it as a tool to accelerate what we do, at the same or better level of quality."
After companies starting falling over each other in their rush to praise generative AI and use it to replace workers, some are now curbing their enthusiasm.
Buy now, pay later app Klarna, another firm that went all-in on AI and has let go of thousands of employees as a result, is now hiring humans again after CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski admitted that its customer service AI chatbots offered a "lower quality" than their fleshy equivalents. Moreover, many people refuse to use a company's services if they are forced to talk to a machine rather than a real person.
Not every company is backing away from the AI-first pledge. Shopify's CEO told managers last month they must prove an AI can't do the job better than a human before hiring new workers.
#duolingo #ceo #backtracks #push #after

Duolingo CEO backtracks on AI push after outcry, says human workers still needed
What just happened? Another company has learned that going all-in on AI at the expense of human workers might save money, but the backlash from users can outweigh the financial benefits. Language-learning app Duolingo, whose CEO recently said AI would replace contract workers, has reversed course, stating that the company would "continue to hire" humans and support employees. At the end of April, Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn announced plans for the firm to become yet another "AI-first" company, meaning more of the technology being integrated into the platform and the eventual elimination of contract workers. Von Ahn said Duolingo would "gradually stop using contractors to do work AI can handle." He added that proficiency with the technology would become part of workers' annual reviews, and new employees would only be hired "if a team cannot automate more of their work." The CEO doubled down on his AI praise on the No Priors podcast a week later. He said AI would transform schools as we know them, replacing teachers who would move from instructing students to supervising them as the AI took over traditional teaching duties. "I also don't think schools are going to go away because you still need childcare," he added. Last month wasn't the first time von Ahn had shown a willingness to replace humans with AI. In January 2024, 10% of Duolingo's contract workers were laid off due to the technology. // Related Stories Unsurprisingly, von Ahn's push hasn't been well received by both Duolingo's users and the majority of the public. The company tried to address the controversy in an Instagram post that manages to hugely miss the mark. The most liked comment reads, "Call us old-fashioned, but we prefer our lessons to be taught by humans." View this post on Instagram A post shared by DuolingoIt appears that von Ahn has decided that the bad publicity isn't worth the headache. In a LinkedIn post providing "more context to my vision," von Ahn wrote, "To be clear: I do not see AI as replacing what our employees do. I see it as a tool to accelerate what we do, at the same or better level of quality." After companies starting falling over each other in their rush to praise generative AI and use it to replace workers, some are now curbing their enthusiasm. Buy now, pay later app Klarna, another firm that went all-in on AI and has let go of thousands of employees as a result, is now hiring humans again after CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski admitted that its customer service AI chatbots offered a "lower quality" than their fleshy equivalents. Moreover, many people refuse to use a company's services if they are forced to talk to a machine rather than a real person. Not every company is backing away from the AI-first pledge. Shopify's CEO told managers last month they must prove an AI can't do the job better than a human before hiring new workers. #duolingo #ceo #backtracks #push #after

WWW.TECHSPOT.COM

Duolingo CEO backtracks on AI push after outcry, says human workers still needed

What just happened? Another company has learned that going all-in on AI at the expense of human workers might save money, but the backlash from users can outweigh the financial benefits. Language-learning app Duolingo, whose CEO recently said AI would replace contract workers, has reversed course, stating that the company would "continue to hire" humans and support employees. At the end of April, Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn announced plans for the firm to become yet another "AI-first" company, meaning more of the technology being integrated into the platform and the eventual elimination of contract workers. Von Ahn said Duolingo would "gradually stop using contractors to do work AI can handle." He added that proficiency with the technology would become part of workers' annual reviews, and new employees would only be hired "if a team cannot automate more of their work." The CEO doubled down on his AI praise on the No Priors podcast a week later. He said AI would transform schools as we know them, replacing teachers who would move from instructing students to supervising them as the AI took over traditional teaching duties. "I also don't think schools are going to go away because you still need childcare," he added. Last month wasn't the first time von Ahn had shown a willingness to replace humans with AI. In January 2024, 10% of Duolingo's contract workers were laid off due to the technology. // Related Stories Unsurprisingly, von Ahn's push hasn't been well received by both Duolingo's users and the majority of the public. The company tried to address the controversy in an Instagram post that manages to hugely miss the mark. The most liked comment reads, "Call us old-fashioned, but we prefer our lessons to be taught by humans." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Duolingo (@duolingo) It appears that von Ahn has decided that the bad publicity isn't worth the headache. In a LinkedIn post providing "more context to my vision," von Ahn wrote, "To be clear: I do not see AI as replacing what our employees do (we are in fact continuing to hire at the same speed as before). I see it as a tool to accelerate what we do, at the same or better level of quality." After companies starting falling over each other in their rush to praise generative AI and use it to replace workers, some are now curbing their enthusiasm. Buy now, pay later app Klarna, another firm that went all-in on AI and has let go of thousands of employees as a result, is now hiring humans again after CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski admitted that its customer service AI chatbots offered a "lower quality" than their fleshy equivalents. Moreover, many people refuse to use a company's services if they are forced to talk to a machine rather than a real person. Not every company is backing away from the AI-first pledge. Shopify's CEO told managers last month they must prove an AI can't do the job better than a human before hiring new workers.

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2025-05-25 11:16:42 ·

Tesla is going all in to finish first in the robotaxi race

Lloyd Lee/BI

2025-05-25T10:37:01Z

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Welcome back to our Sunday edition, where we round up some of our top stories and take you inside our newsroom. This week, BI's Polly Thompson took an inside look at how artificial intelligence is set to upend a pillar of the white-collar world: the Big Four.On the agenda today:Many millennials face a cursed inheritance with their parents' homes.Internal memos reveal how an ex-Facebook exec leads Microsoft's new AI unit.Losing faith in the ROI of college, Gen Z is pivoting to blue-collar jobs.Wall Street bigwigs are questioning the safety of government bonds. Now what?But first: Tesla's robotaxis are taking the wheel.If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Business Insider's app here.This week's dispatch

Robin Marchant/Getty, Sean Gallup/Getty, Tyler Le/BI

Tesla's big betI remain in awe of self-driving cars.I took my first Waymo earlier this year in San Francisco. Like any newbie, I immediately pulled out my phone, recorded the ride, and then gleefully shared videos with friends and family.The market for robotaxis is well beyond the shock and awe phase. For Tesla, the stakes are high to get it right.The EV maker's long-awaited autonomous ride-hailing service is expected to debut next month in Austin. It will join Waymo, owned by Google's parent company Alphabet, which is already entrenched in San Francisco and expanding into other cities.My BI colleagues Lloyd Lee and Alistair Barr tried to see which company offers the better self-driving experience: Tesla or Waymo. They test drove both, expecting the results of their not-so-scientific test to come down to minute details..The results surprised them.While the rides were mostly similar, the differentiator was Tesla running a red light at a complex intersection. It was an error too big to overlook. Waymo won the test.Lloyd and Alistair's story ricocheted around the internet and social media. On Tuesday, CNBC's David Faber pressed Tesla CEO Elon Musk about it, particularly the Tesla running a red light.Musk didn't address specific details in BI's reporting. Instead, he said Tesla's robotaxis will be "geo-fenced" — meaning they will avoid some intersections and certain parts of Austin.Waymo already uses geo-fencing. Its car avoided the intersection where the Tesla ran the red light, instead taking a route that was farther away and less time-efficient but perhaps safer to navigate, according to the BI story.Tesla's robotaxi plans come at a critical time for a brand that's taken a hit from Musk's work with the Trump administration. Overseas competition is also ramping up, and prices for used Teslas, including Cybertrucks, are falling.The excitement around the robotaxis is helping, though. Tesla's stock has risen about 40% since Musk talked up the robotaxi last month and signaled he was re-committing to Tesla and stepping back from DOGE.We'll stay all over this coverage for you, including the big debut.The new millennial home dilemmaMillennials are set to benefit from a massive wealth transfer from their boomer parents, most of which is held up in real estate.But because boomers tend to stay in their homes for decades, many children will inherit properties in need of some serious TLC.Microsoft's "age of AI agents"

Microsoft

CEO Satya Nadella recently tapped Jay Parikh, formerly Facebook's global head of engineering, to spearhead Microsoft's new AI unit, CoreAI. BI viewed internal memos to get a glimpse of Parikh's vision and progress.Parikh is focusing on cultural shifts, operational improvements, and customer experience as he leads Microsoft into a new era.He has plans for an AI "agent factory."From PowerPoint to plumbing

Peter Dazeley/Getty Images

AI is decimating jobs, and the cost of college is ever-rising. Gen Zers are losing faith in the ROI of a degree, but they've got another option: the trades.White-collar jobs are stagnating, but fields like plumbing, construction, and electrical work are projected to grow. Blue-collar jobs offer a work-life balance and a path to becoming your own boss.The shaky bond market

Mario Tama/Getty Images

Bonds have always been viewed as a safe haven, especially ones backed by the US government. But concerns over the growing deficit are changing investors' perspective on the asset.KKR has cast doubt over bonds, and JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has been vocal about US credit being a "bad risk." Here's what investors have to think about amid the turmoil.Also read:This week's quote:"But if you want one of these jobs, you've got to play the game."— A recent graduate who moved to New York City early to be in a good position for the private-equity recruiting process.More of this week's top reads:Duolingo drama underscores the new corporate balancing act on AI hype.Elon Musk went on a media blitz. Here are five takeaways from his interviews.See inside the luxurious Boeing 747 Qatar is giving to Trump to serve as Air Force One.Instagram head Adam Mosseri on the "paradigm shift" from posting in public to sharing in private.Four reasons Walmart is raising prices and Home Depot isn't.Please, Jony Ive, I beg you not to make a voice device.Meet the Yale student and hacker moonlighting as a cybersecurity watchdog.Inside the little-known perks that come from a stock exchange "bake-off."Why these Americans agree with the DOGE firings: "Welcome to the real world."The BI Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Elizabeth Casolo, fellow, in Chicago.
#tesla #going #all #finish #first

Tesla is going all in to finish first in the robotaxi race
Lloyd Lee/BI 2025-05-25T10:37:01Z d Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? This post originally appeared in the BI Today newsletter. You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here. Welcome back to our Sunday edition, where we round up some of our top stories and take you inside our newsroom. This week, BI's Polly Thompson took an inside look at how artificial intelligence is set to upend a pillar of the white-collar world: the Big Four.On the agenda today:Many millennials face a cursed inheritance with their parents' homes.Internal memos reveal how an ex-Facebook exec leads Microsoft's new AI unit.Losing faith in the ROI of college, Gen Z is pivoting to blue-collar jobs.Wall Street bigwigs are questioning the safety of government bonds. Now what?But first: Tesla's robotaxis are taking the wheel.If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Business Insider's app here.This week's dispatch Robin Marchant/Getty, Sean Gallup/Getty, Tyler Le/BI Tesla's big betI remain in awe of self-driving cars.I took my first Waymo earlier this year in San Francisco. Like any newbie, I immediately pulled out my phone, recorded the ride, and then gleefully shared videos with friends and family.The market for robotaxis is well beyond the shock and awe phase. For Tesla, the stakes are high to get it right.The EV maker's long-awaited autonomous ride-hailing service is expected to debut next month in Austin. It will join Waymo, owned by Google's parent company Alphabet, which is already entrenched in San Francisco and expanding into other cities.My BI colleagues Lloyd Lee and Alistair Barr tried to see which company offers the better self-driving experience: Tesla or Waymo. They test drove both, expecting the results of their not-so-scientific test to come down to minute details..The results surprised them.While the rides were mostly similar, the differentiator was Tesla running a red light at a complex intersection. It was an error too big to overlook. Waymo won the test.Lloyd and Alistair's story ricocheted around the internet and social media. On Tuesday, CNBC's David Faber pressed Tesla CEO Elon Musk about it, particularly the Tesla running a red light.Musk didn't address specific details in BI's reporting. Instead, he said Tesla's robotaxis will be "geo-fenced" — meaning they will avoid some intersections and certain parts of Austin.Waymo already uses geo-fencing. Its car avoided the intersection where the Tesla ran the red light, instead taking a route that was farther away and less time-efficient but perhaps safer to navigate, according to the BI story.Tesla's robotaxi plans come at a critical time for a brand that's taken a hit from Musk's work with the Trump administration. Overseas competition is also ramping up, and prices for used Teslas, including Cybertrucks, are falling.The excitement around the robotaxis is helping, though. Tesla's stock has risen about 40% since Musk talked up the robotaxi last month and signaled he was re-committing to Tesla and stepping back from DOGE.We'll stay all over this coverage for you, including the big debut.The new millennial home dilemmaMillennials are set to benefit from a massive wealth transfer from their boomer parents, most of which is held up in real estate.But because boomers tend to stay in their homes for decades, many children will inherit properties in need of some serious TLC.Microsoft's "age of AI agents" Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently tapped Jay Parikh, formerly Facebook's global head of engineering, to spearhead Microsoft's new AI unit, CoreAI. BI viewed internal memos to get a glimpse of Parikh's vision and progress.Parikh is focusing on cultural shifts, operational improvements, and customer experience as he leads Microsoft into a new era.He has plans for an AI "agent factory."From PowerPoint to plumbing Peter Dazeley/Getty Images AI is decimating jobs, and the cost of college is ever-rising. Gen Zers are losing faith in the ROI of a degree, but they've got another option: the trades.White-collar jobs are stagnating, but fields like plumbing, construction, and electrical work are projected to grow. Blue-collar jobs offer a work-life balance and a path to becoming your own boss.The shaky bond market Mario Tama/Getty Images Bonds have always been viewed as a safe haven, especially ones backed by the US government. But concerns over the growing deficit are changing investors' perspective on the asset.KKR has cast doubt over bonds, and JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has been vocal about US credit being a "bad risk." Here's what investors have to think about amid the turmoil.Also read:This week's quote:"But if you want one of these jobs, you've got to play the game."— A recent graduate who moved to New York City early to be in a good position for the private-equity recruiting process.More of this week's top reads:Duolingo drama underscores the new corporate balancing act on AI hype.Elon Musk went on a media blitz. Here are five takeaways from his interviews.See inside the luxurious Boeing 747 Qatar is giving to Trump to serve as Air Force One.Instagram head Adam Mosseri on the "paradigm shift" from posting in public to sharing in private.Four reasons Walmart is raising prices and Home Depot isn't.Please, Jony Ive, I beg you not to make a voice device.Meet the Yale student and hacker moonlighting as a cybersecurity watchdog.Inside the little-known perks that come from a stock exchange "bake-off."Why these Americans agree with the DOGE firings: "Welcome to the real world."The BI Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Elizabeth Casolo, fellow, in Chicago. #tesla #going #all #finish #first

WWW.BUSINESSINSIDER.COM

Tesla is going all in to finish first in the robotaxi race

Lloyd Lee/BI 2025-05-25T10:37:01Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? This post originally appeared in the BI Today newsletter. You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here. Welcome back to our Sunday edition, where we round up some of our top stories and take you inside our newsroom. This week, BI's Polly Thompson took an inside look at how artificial intelligence is set to upend a pillar of the white-collar world: the Big Four.On the agenda today:Many millennials face a cursed inheritance with their parents' homes.Internal memos reveal how an ex-Facebook exec leads Microsoft's new AI unit.Losing faith in the ROI of college, Gen Z is pivoting to blue-collar jobs.Wall Street bigwigs are questioning the safety of government bonds. Now what?But first: Tesla's robotaxis are taking the wheel.If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Business Insider's app here.This week's dispatch Robin Marchant/Getty, Sean Gallup/Getty, Tyler Le/BI Tesla's big betI remain in awe of self-driving cars.I took my first Waymo earlier this year in San Francisco. Like any newbie, I immediately pulled out my phone, recorded the ride, and then gleefully shared videos with friends and family.The market for robotaxis is well beyond the shock and awe phase. For Tesla, the stakes are high to get it right.The EV maker's long-awaited autonomous ride-hailing service is expected to debut next month in Austin. It will join Waymo, owned by Google's parent company Alphabet, which is already entrenched in San Francisco and expanding into other cities.My BI colleagues Lloyd Lee and Alistair Barr tried to see which company offers the better self-driving experience: Tesla or Waymo. They test drove both, expecting the results of their not-so-scientific test to come down to minute details. (They couldn't compare the robotaxi services because Tesla hasn't launched its yet).The results surprised them.While the rides were mostly similar, the differentiator was Tesla running a red light at a complex intersection. It was an error too big to overlook. Waymo won the test.Lloyd and Alistair's story ricocheted around the internet and social media. On Tuesday, CNBC's David Faber pressed Tesla CEO Elon Musk about it, particularly the Tesla running a red light.Musk didn't address specific details in BI's reporting. Instead, he said Tesla's robotaxis will be "geo-fenced" — meaning they will avoid some intersections and certain parts of Austin.Waymo already uses geo-fencing. Its car avoided the intersection where the Tesla ran the red light, instead taking a route that was farther away and less time-efficient but perhaps safer to navigate, according to the BI story.Tesla's robotaxi plans come at a critical time for a brand that's taken a hit from Musk's work with the Trump administration. Overseas competition is also ramping up, and prices for used Teslas, including Cybertrucks, are falling.The excitement around the robotaxis is helping, though. Tesla's stock has risen about 40% since Musk talked up the robotaxi last month and signaled he was re-committing to Tesla and stepping back from DOGE.We'll stay all over this coverage for you, including the big debut.The new millennial home dilemmaMillennials are set to benefit from a massive wealth transfer from their boomer parents, most of which is held up in real estate.But because boomers tend to stay in their homes for decades, many children will inherit properties in need of some serious TLC.Microsoft's "age of AI agents" Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently tapped Jay Parikh, formerly Facebook's global head of engineering, to spearhead Microsoft's new AI unit, CoreAI. BI viewed internal memos to get a glimpse of Parikh's vision and progress.Parikh is focusing on cultural shifts, operational improvements, and customer experience as he leads Microsoft into a new era.He has plans for an AI "agent factory."From PowerPoint to plumbing Peter Dazeley/Getty Images AI is decimating jobs, and the cost of college is ever-rising. Gen Zers are losing faith in the ROI of a degree, but they've got another option: the trades.White-collar jobs are stagnating, but fields like plumbing, construction, and electrical work are projected to grow. Blue-collar jobs offer a work-life balance and a path to becoming your own boss.The shaky bond market Mario Tama/Getty Images Bonds have always been viewed as a safe haven, especially ones backed by the US government. But concerns over the growing deficit are changing investors' perspective on the asset.KKR has cast doubt over bonds, and JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has been vocal about US credit being a "bad risk." Here's what investors have to think about amid the turmoil.Also read:This week's quote:"But if you want one of these jobs, you've got to play the game."— A recent graduate who moved to New York City early to be in a good position for the private-equity recruiting process.More of this week's top reads:Duolingo drama underscores the new corporate balancing act on AI hype.Elon Musk went on a media blitz. Here are five takeaways from his interviews.See inside the luxurious Boeing 747 Qatar is giving to Trump to serve as Air Force One.Instagram head Adam Mosseri on the "paradigm shift" from posting in public to sharing in private.Four reasons Walmart is raising prices and Home Depot isn't.Please, Jony Ive, I beg you not to make a voice device.Meet the Yale student and hacker moonlighting as a cybersecurity watchdog.Inside the little-known perks that come from a stock exchange "bake-off."Why these Americans agree with the DOGE firings: "Welcome to the real world."The BI Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Elizabeth Casolo, fellow, in Chicago.

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2025-05-25 05:08:38 ·

Duolingo Faces Massive Social Media Backlash After 'AI-First' Comments

"Duolingo had been riding high," reports Fast Company, until CEO Luis von Ahn "announced on LinkedIn that the company is phasing out human contractors, looking for AI use in hiring and in performance reviews, and that 'headcount will only be given if a team cannot automate more of their work.'"

But then "facing heavy backlash online after unveiling its new AI-first policy", Duolingo's social media presence went dark last weekend. Duolingo even temporarily took down all its posts on TikTokand Instagram"after both accounts were flooded with negative feedback."

Duolingo previously faced criticism for quietly laying off 10% of its contractor base and introducing some AI features in late 2023, but it barely went beyond a semi-viral post on Reddit. Now that Duolingo is cutting out all its human contractors whose work can technically be done by AI, and relying on more AI-generated language lessons, the response is far more pronounced. Although earlier TikTok videos are not currently visible, a Fast Company article from May 12 captured a flavor of the reaction:
The top comments on virtually every recent post have nothing to do with the video or the company — and everything to do with the company's embrace of AI. For example, a Duolingo TikTok video jumping on board the "Mama, may I have a cookie" trend saw replies like "Mama, may I have real people running the company"and "How about NO ai, keep your employees...."

And then...

After days of silence, on Tuesday the company posted a bizarre video message on TikTok and Instagram, the meaning of which is hard to decipher... Duolingo's first video drop in days has the degraded, stuttering feel of a Max Headroom video made by the hackers at Anonymous. In it, a supposed member of the company's social team appears in a three-eyed Duo mask and black hoodie to complain about the corporate overlords ruining the empire the heroic social media crew built.

"But this is something Duolingo can't cute-post its way out of," Fast Company wrote on Tuesday, complaining the company "has not yet meaningfully addressed the policies that inspired the backlash against it... "
So the next videofeatured Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn himself, being confronted by that same hoodie-wearing social media rebel, who says "I'm making the man who caused this mess accountable for his behavior. I'm demanding answers from the CEO..."Rebel: First question. So are there going to be any humans left at this company?

CEO: Our employees are what make Duolingo so amazing. Our app is so great because our employees made it... So we're going to continue having employees, and not only that, we're actually going to be hiring more employees.
Rebel: How do we know that these aren't just empty promises? As long as you're in charge, we could still be shuffled out once the media fire dies down. And we all know that in terms of automation, CEOs should be the first to go.
CEO: AI is a fundamental shift. It's going to change how we all do work — including me. And honestly, I don't really know what's going to happen.

But I want us, as a company, to have our workforce prepared by really knowing how to use AI so that we can be more efficient with it.
Rebel: Learning a foreign language is literally about human connection. How is that even possible with AI-first?
CEO: Yes, language is about human connection, and it's about people. And this is the thing about AI. AI will allow us to reach more people, and to teach more people. I mean for example, it took us about 10 years to develop the first 100 courses on Duolingo, and now in under a year, with the help of AI and of course with humans reviewing all the work, we were able to release another 100 courses in less than a year.
Rebel: So do you regret posting this memo on LinkedIn.
CEO: Honestly, I think I messed up sending that email. What we're trying to do is empower our own employees to be able to achieve more and be able to have way more content to teach better and reach more people all with the help of AI.

Returning to where it all started, Duolingo's CEO posted again on LinkedIn Thursday with "more context" for his vision. It still emphasizes the company's employees while sidestepping contractors replaced by AI. But it puts a positive spin on how "headcount will only be given if a team cannot automate more of their work."

I've always encouraged our team to embrace new technology, and we are taking that same approach with AI. By understanding the capabilities and limitations of AI now, we can stay ahead of it and remain in control of our own product and our mission.
To be clear: I do not see AI as replacing what our employees do. I see it as a tool to accelerate what we do, at the same or better level of quality. And the sooner we learn how to use it, and use it responsibly, the better off we will be in the long run. My goal is for Duos to feel empowered and prepared to use this technology.

No one is expected to navigate this shift alone. We're developing workshops and advisory councils, and carving out dedicated experimentation time to help all our teams learn and adapt. People work at Duolingo because they want to solve big problems to improve education, and the people who work here are what make Duolingo successful. Our mission isn't changing, but the tools we use to build new things will change. I remain committed to leading Duolingo in a way that is consistent with our mission to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available.

"The backlash to Duolingo is the latest evidence that 'AI-first' tends to be a concept with much more appeal to investors and managers than most regular people," notes Fortune:

And it's not hard to see why. Generative AI is often trained on reams of content that may have been illegally accessed; much of its output is bizarre or incorrect; and some leaders in the field are opposed to regulations on the technology. But outside particular niches in entry-level white-collar work, AI's productivity gains have yet to materialize.

of this story at Slashdot.
#duolingo #faces #massive #social #media

Duolingo Faces Massive Social Media Backlash After 'AI-First' Comments
"Duolingo had been riding high," reports Fast Company, until CEO Luis von Ahn "announced on LinkedIn that the company is phasing out human contractors, looking for AI use in hiring and in performance reviews, and that 'headcount will only be given if a team cannot automate more of their work.'" But then "facing heavy backlash online after unveiling its new AI-first policy", Duolingo's social media presence went dark last weekend. Duolingo even temporarily took down all its posts on TikTokand Instagram"after both accounts were flooded with negative feedback." Duolingo previously faced criticism for quietly laying off 10% of its contractor base and introducing some AI features in late 2023, but it barely went beyond a semi-viral post on Reddit. Now that Duolingo is cutting out all its human contractors whose work can technically be done by AI, and relying on more AI-generated language lessons, the response is far more pronounced. Although earlier TikTok videos are not currently visible, a Fast Company article from May 12 captured a flavor of the reaction: The top comments on virtually every recent post have nothing to do with the video or the company — and everything to do with the company's embrace of AI. For example, a Duolingo TikTok video jumping on board the "Mama, may I have a cookie" trend saw replies like "Mama, may I have real people running the company"and "How about NO ai, keep your employees...." And then... After days of silence, on Tuesday the company posted a bizarre video message on TikTok and Instagram, the meaning of which is hard to decipher... Duolingo's first video drop in days has the degraded, stuttering feel of a Max Headroom video made by the hackers at Anonymous. In it, a supposed member of the company's social team appears in a three-eyed Duo mask and black hoodie to complain about the corporate overlords ruining the empire the heroic social media crew built. "But this is something Duolingo can't cute-post its way out of," Fast Company wrote on Tuesday, complaining the company "has not yet meaningfully addressed the policies that inspired the backlash against it... " So the next videofeatured Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn himself, being confronted by that same hoodie-wearing social media rebel, who says "I'm making the man who caused this mess accountable for his behavior. I'm demanding answers from the CEO..."Rebel: First question. So are there going to be any humans left at this company? CEO: Our employees are what make Duolingo so amazing. Our app is so great because our employees made it... So we're going to continue having employees, and not only that, we're actually going to be hiring more employees. Rebel: How do we know that these aren't just empty promises? As long as you're in charge, we could still be shuffled out once the media fire dies down. And we all know that in terms of automation, CEOs should be the first to go. CEO: AI is a fundamental shift. It's going to change how we all do work — including me. And honestly, I don't really know what's going to happen. But I want us, as a company, to have our workforce prepared by really knowing how to use AI so that we can be more efficient with it. Rebel: Learning a foreign language is literally about human connection. How is that even possible with AI-first? CEO: Yes, language is about human connection, and it's about people. And this is the thing about AI. AI will allow us to reach more people, and to teach more people. I mean for example, it took us about 10 years to develop the first 100 courses on Duolingo, and now in under a year, with the help of AI and of course with humans reviewing all the work, we were able to release another 100 courses in less than a year. Rebel: So do you regret posting this memo on LinkedIn. CEO: Honestly, I think I messed up sending that email. What we're trying to do is empower our own employees to be able to achieve more and be able to have way more content to teach better and reach more people all with the help of AI. Returning to where it all started, Duolingo's CEO posted again on LinkedIn Thursday with "more context" for his vision. It still emphasizes the company's employees while sidestepping contractors replaced by AI. But it puts a positive spin on how "headcount will only be given if a team cannot automate more of their work." I've always encouraged our team to embrace new technology, and we are taking that same approach with AI. By understanding the capabilities and limitations of AI now, we can stay ahead of it and remain in control of our own product and our mission. To be clear: I do not see AI as replacing what our employees do. I see it as a tool to accelerate what we do, at the same or better level of quality. And the sooner we learn how to use it, and use it responsibly, the better off we will be in the long run. My goal is for Duos to feel empowered and prepared to use this technology. No one is expected to navigate this shift alone. We're developing workshops and advisory councils, and carving out dedicated experimentation time to help all our teams learn and adapt. People work at Duolingo because they want to solve big problems to improve education, and the people who work here are what make Duolingo successful. Our mission isn't changing, but the tools we use to build new things will change. I remain committed to leading Duolingo in a way that is consistent with our mission to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available. "The backlash to Duolingo is the latest evidence that 'AI-first' tends to be a concept with much more appeal to investors and managers than most regular people," notes Fortune: And it's not hard to see why. Generative AI is often trained on reams of content that may have been illegally accessed; much of its output is bizarre or incorrect; and some leaders in the field are opposed to regulations on the technology. But outside particular niches in entry-level white-collar work, AI's productivity gains have yet to materialize. of this story at Slashdot. #duolingo #faces #massive #social #media

TECH.SLASHDOT.ORG

Duolingo Faces Massive Social Media Backlash After 'AI-First' Comments

"Duolingo had been riding high," reports Fast Company, until CEO Luis von Ahn "announced on LinkedIn that the company is phasing out human contractors, looking for AI use in hiring and in performance reviews, and that 'headcount will only be given if a team cannot automate more of their work.'" But then "facing heavy backlash online after unveiling its new AI-first policy", Duolingo's social media presence went dark last weekend. Duolingo even temporarily took down all its posts on TikTok (6.7 million followers) and Instagram (4.1 million followers) "after both accounts were flooded with negative feedback." Duolingo previously faced criticism for quietly laying off 10% of its contractor base and introducing some AI features in late 2023, but it barely went beyond a semi-viral post on Reddit. Now that Duolingo is cutting out all its human contractors whose work can technically be done by AI, and relying on more AI-generated language lessons, the response is far more pronounced. Although earlier TikTok videos are not currently visible, a Fast Company article from May 12 captured a flavor of the reaction: The top comments on virtually every recent post have nothing to do with the video or the company — and everything to do with the company's embrace of AI. For example, a Duolingo TikTok video jumping on board the "Mama, may I have a cookie" trend saw replies like "Mama, may I have real people running the company" (with 69,000 likes) and "How about NO ai, keep your employees...." And then... After days of silence, on Tuesday the company posted a bizarre video message on TikTok and Instagram, the meaning of which is hard to decipher... Duolingo's first video drop in days has the degraded, stuttering feel of a Max Headroom video made by the hackers at Anonymous. In it, a supposed member of the company's social team appears in a three-eyed Duo mask and black hoodie to complain about the corporate overlords ruining the empire the heroic social media crew built. "But this is something Duolingo can't cute-post its way out of," Fast Company wrote on Tuesday, complaining the company "has not yet meaningfully addressed the policies that inspired the backlash against it... " So the next video (Thursday) featured Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn himself, being confronted by that same hoodie-wearing social media rebel, who says "I'm making the man who caused this mess accountable for his behavior. I'm demanding answers from the CEO..." [Though the video carefully sidesteps the issue of replacing contractors with AI or how "headcount will only be given if a team cannot automate more of their work."] Rebel: First question. So are there going to be any humans left at this company? CEO: Our employees are what make Duolingo so amazing. Our app is so great because our employees made it... So we're going to continue having employees, and not only that, we're actually going to be hiring more employees. Rebel: How do we know that these aren't just empty promises? As long as you're in charge, we could still be shuffled out once the media fire dies down. And we all know that in terms of automation, CEOs should be the first to go. CEO: AI is a fundamental shift. It's going to change how we all do work — including me. And honestly, I don't really know what's going to happen. But I want us, as a company, to have our workforce prepared by really knowing how to use AI so that we can be more efficient with it. Rebel: Learning a foreign language is literally about human connection. How is that even possible with AI-first? CEO: Yes, language is about human connection, and it's about people. And this is the thing about AI. AI will allow us to reach more people, and to teach more people. I mean for example, it took us about 10 years to develop the first 100 courses on Duolingo, and now in under a year, with the help of AI and of course with humans reviewing all the work, we were able to release another 100 courses in less than a year. Rebel: So do you regret posting this memo on LinkedIn. CEO: Honestly, I think I messed up sending that email. What we're trying to do is empower our own employees to be able to achieve more and be able to have way more content to teach better and reach more people all with the help of AI. Returning to where it all started, Duolingo's CEO posted again on LinkedIn Thursday with "more context" for his vision. It still emphasizes the company's employees while sidestepping contractors replaced by AI. But it puts a positive spin on how "headcount will only be given if a team cannot automate more of their work." I've always encouraged our team to embrace new technology (that's why we originally built for mobile instead of desktop), and we are taking that same approach with AI. By understanding the capabilities and limitations of AI now, we can stay ahead of it and remain in control of our own product and our mission. To be clear: I do not see AI as replacing what our employees do (we are in fact continuing to hire at the same speed as before). I see it as a tool to accelerate what we do, at the same or better level of quality. And the sooner we learn how to use it, and use it responsibly, the better off we will be in the long run. My goal is for Duos to feel empowered and prepared to use this technology. No one is expected to navigate this shift alone. We're developing workshops and advisory councils, and carving out dedicated experimentation time to help all our teams learn and adapt. People work at Duolingo because they want to solve big problems to improve education, and the people who work here are what make Duolingo successful. Our mission isn't changing, but the tools we use to build new things will change. I remain committed to leading Duolingo in a way that is consistent with our mission to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available. "The backlash to Duolingo is the latest evidence that 'AI-first' tends to be a concept with much more appeal to investors and managers than most regular people," notes Fortune: And it's not hard to see why. Generative AI is often trained on reams of content that may have been illegally accessed; much of its output is bizarre or incorrect; and some leaders in the field are opposed to regulations on the technology. But outside particular niches in entry-level white-collar work, AI's productivity gains have yet to materialize. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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2025-05-25 02:53:27 ·

Duolingo CEO walks back AI-first comments: 'I do not see AI as replacing what our employees do'

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#duolingo #ceo #walks #back #aifirst

Duolingo CEO walks back AI-first comments: 'I do not see AI as replacing what our employees do'
submitted by /u/indig0sixalpha #duolingo #ceo #walks #back #aifirst

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Duolingo CEO walks back AI-first comments: 'I do not see AI as replacing what our employees do'

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2025-05-24 04:48:05 ·

IBM laid off 8,000 employees to replace them with AI, but what they didn't expect was having to rehire as many due to AI.

In 2023, IBM made its mark by announcing the redundancy of almost 8,000 employees, mainly in human resources, to automate these functions using artificial intelligence. But against all odds, this strategy led to a wave of new hires… again because of AI.
AI upsets the employment balance at IBM
In early 2023, IBM made a radical decision to replace thousands of jobs, mainly in support functions, with artificial intelligence solutions. The stated objective was clear: to automate up to 30% of repetitive tasks, particularly in human resources, and thus achieve significant productivity savings. This strategy, far from being isolated, was part of a worldwide wave of rationalisation in which other tech giants, such as Google and Spotify, were also making massive redundancies.
But IBM has taken its experimentation further than its competitors. Thanks to the AskHR solution, an AI-powered conversational agent, 94% of routine HR management tasks have been automated, from holiday processing to payroll management and employee documentation. This automation has enabled the firm to generate billion in productivity across more than 70 different business lines.
However, what followed surprised even IBM’s top management. Far from reducing its workforce permanently, the company saw its total number of employees rise again after the wave of redundancies. Arvind Krishna, IBM’s CEO, explained it to the Wall Street Journal, “While we’ve done a tremendous amount of work to leverage AI, our total employment has actually increased because it’s allowed us to invest more in other areas.”
In fact, automation has freed up financial and human resources, which have been redeployed in high value-added sectors. IBM has massively recruited software engineers, sales people and marketing specialists, professions where creativity, critical thinking and human interaction are irreplaceable by machines. Repetitive and predictable tasks have been entrusted to AI, but the need for human skills has exploded in strategic areas.
Towards a transformation of the labour market
IBM’s example illustrates a fundamental trend: AI is not just eliminating jobs, it is creating new ones, often with higher qualifications and better pay. But this transformation is not without its problems. The jobs most exposed to automation, such as support functions, are being replaced, while demand is exploding for profiles capable of managing, designing and selling AI solutions. IBM is not an isolated case. Other companies, such as Duolingo and certain customer service platforms, have also tried to massively replace their staff with chatbots, sometimes with mixed results, forcing them to rehire specialists to compensate for the limits of automation.
The success of automation at IBM is based on the company’s ability to reinvest the savings made in growth sectors. The case of AskHR is emblematic: in 2024, the platform handled more than 11.5 million interactions, with a customer satisfaction ratethat rose from -35 to +74 in just a few years. But despite these successes, only 6% of requests still require human intervention, proof that the transformation is not complete and that certain skills are still essential. The IBM case raises the question of the future of work in the age of AI. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, almost 92 million jobs could disappear by 2030 as a result of automation, but new professions are already emerging at high speed. The challenge for companies and employees will be to anticipate these changes, train and adapt to an ever-changing labour market. At IBM, AI has not only eliminated jobs: it has forced the company to rethink its HR strategy in depth and reinvent the contours of modern employment.
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#ibm #laid #off #employees #replace

IBM laid off 8,000 employees to replace them with AI, but what they didn't expect was having to rehire as many due to AI.
In 2023, IBM made its mark by announcing the redundancy of almost 8,000 employees, mainly in human resources, to automate these functions using artificial intelligence. But against all odds, this strategy led to a wave of new hires… again because of AI. AI upsets the employment balance at IBM In early 2023, IBM made a radical decision to replace thousands of jobs, mainly in support functions, with artificial intelligence solutions. The stated objective was clear: to automate up to 30% of repetitive tasks, particularly in human resources, and thus achieve significant productivity savings. This strategy, far from being isolated, was part of a worldwide wave of rationalisation in which other tech giants, such as Google and Spotify, were also making massive redundancies. But IBM has taken its experimentation further than its competitors. Thanks to the AskHR solution, an AI-powered conversational agent, 94% of routine HR management tasks have been automated, from holiday processing to payroll management and employee documentation. This automation has enabled the firm to generate billion in productivity across more than 70 different business lines. However, what followed surprised even IBM’s top management. Far from reducing its workforce permanently, the company saw its total number of employees rise again after the wave of redundancies. Arvind Krishna, IBM’s CEO, explained it to the Wall Street Journal, “While we’ve done a tremendous amount of work to leverage AI, our total employment has actually increased because it’s allowed us to invest more in other areas.” In fact, automation has freed up financial and human resources, which have been redeployed in high value-added sectors. IBM has massively recruited software engineers, sales people and marketing specialists, professions where creativity, critical thinking and human interaction are irreplaceable by machines. Repetitive and predictable tasks have been entrusted to AI, but the need for human skills has exploded in strategic areas. Towards a transformation of the labour market IBM’s example illustrates a fundamental trend: AI is not just eliminating jobs, it is creating new ones, often with higher qualifications and better pay. But this transformation is not without its problems. The jobs most exposed to automation, such as support functions, are being replaced, while demand is exploding for profiles capable of managing, designing and selling AI solutions. IBM is not an isolated case. Other companies, such as Duolingo and certain customer service platforms, have also tried to massively replace their staff with chatbots, sometimes with mixed results, forcing them to rehire specialists to compensate for the limits of automation. The success of automation at IBM is based on the company’s ability to reinvest the savings made in growth sectors. The case of AskHR is emblematic: in 2024, the platform handled more than 11.5 million interactions, with a customer satisfaction ratethat rose from -35 to +74 in just a few years. But despite these successes, only 6% of requests still require human intervention, proof that the transformation is not complete and that certain skills are still essential. The IBM case raises the question of the future of work in the age of AI. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, almost 92 million jobs could disappear by 2030 as a result of automation, but new professions are already emerging at high speed. The challenge for companies and employees will be to anticipate these changes, train and adapt to an ever-changing labour market. At IBM, AI has not only eliminated jobs: it has forced the company to rethink its HR strategy in depth and reinvent the contours of modern employment. Share This With A Friend : #ibm #laid #off #employees #replace

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IBM laid off 8,000 employees to replace them with AI, but what they didn't expect was having to rehire as many due to AI.

In 2023, IBM made its mark by announcing the redundancy of almost 8,000 employees, mainly in human resources, to automate these functions using artificial intelligence. But against all odds, this strategy led to a wave of new hires… again because of AI. AI upsets the employment balance at IBM In early 2023, IBM made a radical decision to replace thousands of jobs, mainly in support functions, with artificial intelligence solutions. The stated objective was clear: to automate up to 30% of repetitive tasks, particularly in human resources, and thus achieve significant productivity savings. This strategy, far from being isolated, was part of a worldwide wave of rationalisation in which other tech giants, such as Google and Spotify, were also making massive redundancies. But IBM has taken its experimentation further than its competitors. Thanks to the AskHR solution, an AI-powered conversational agent, 94% of routine HR management tasks have been automated, from holiday processing to payroll management and employee documentation. This automation has enabled the firm to generate $3.5 billion in productivity across more than 70 different business lines. However, what followed surprised even IBM’s top management. Far from reducing its workforce permanently, the company saw its total number of employees rise again after the wave of redundancies. Arvind Krishna, IBM’s CEO, explained it to the Wall Street Journal, “While we’ve done a tremendous amount of work to leverage AI, our total employment has actually increased because it’s allowed us to invest more in other areas.” In fact, automation has freed up financial and human resources, which have been redeployed in high value-added sectors. IBM has massively recruited software engineers, sales people and marketing specialists, professions where creativity, critical thinking and human interaction are irreplaceable by machines. Repetitive and predictable tasks have been entrusted to AI, but the need for human skills has exploded in strategic areas. Towards a transformation of the labour market IBM’s example illustrates a fundamental trend: AI is not just eliminating jobs, it is creating new ones, often with higher qualifications and better pay. But this transformation is not without its problems. The jobs most exposed to automation, such as support functions, are being replaced, while demand is exploding for profiles capable of managing, designing and selling AI solutions. IBM is not an isolated case. Other companies, such as Duolingo and certain customer service platforms, have also tried to massively replace their staff with chatbots, sometimes with mixed results, forcing them to rehire specialists to compensate for the limits of automation. The success of automation at IBM is based on the company’s ability to reinvest the savings made in growth sectors. The case of AskHR is emblematic: in 2024, the platform handled more than 11.5 million interactions, with a customer satisfaction rate (NPS) that rose from -35 to +74 in just a few years. But despite these successes, only 6% of requests still require human intervention, proof that the transformation is not complete and that certain skills are still essential. The IBM case raises the question of the future of work in the age of AI. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, almost 92 million jobs could disappear by 2030 as a result of automation, but new professions are already emerging at high speed. The challenge for companies and employees will be to anticipate these changes, train and adapt to an ever-changing labour market. At IBM, AI has not only eliminated jobs: it has forced the company to rethink its HR strategy in depth and reinvent the contours of modern employment. Share This With A Friend :

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2025-05-22 04:43:09 ·

CEO Who Bragged About Replacing Human Workers With AI Realizes He Made a Terrible Mistake

The company's net losses just doubled.Do No KlarnSwedish buy-now-pay-later company Klarna, whose CEO once bragged about its automated customer service AI bots doing the work of "700 full-time agents," is now in deep trouble.The fintech outfit is facing net losses of million for the first quarter of this year, CNBC reports, which is more than double compared to the same period last year.The company had already paused its highly anticipated IPO in the US last month, which once valued it at over billion.And it's all particularly noteworthy because of how CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski previously bragged that he hadn't hired anyone in a year, following a doubling down on AI tech.During an interview with Bloomberg earlier this month, however, Siemiatkowski struck a dramatically different tone, revealing that the gambit hadn't paid off. He admitted that "there will always be a human if you want" when it comes to customer service — a sign of the times, as investors are starting to ask some tough questions given widespread economic uncertainty.Cash FlowNonetheless, it wasn't a complete reversal. Siemiatkowski defended his embrace of AI last week, boasting that the tech allowed Klarna to shrink its workforce by 40 percent.During its Monday earnings call, an AI-generated avatar of Siemiatkowski took over for the executive, the Financial Times reports, showing that the company is far from giving up on the tech.But public support for the tech is unmistakably falling off. Translation company Duolingo has faced a torrent of pushback from social media users, particularly on TikTok, after its controversial CEO Luis von Ahn announced that AI will gradually replace all contractors.However, while it could be easy to see Klarna as the canary in the coal mine for the AI industry as a whole, its rapidly mounting losses involve other factors as well. As the FT points out, many of the company's American customers are failing to repay their buy-now-pay-later loans.Klarna's credit losses have risen 17 percent year-on-year to million, reflecting widespread economic uncertainty and falling consumer confidence as president Donald Trump's trade war takes its toll.In response, Klarna has said that it's "closely monitoring changes in the macroeconomic environment" and "remains well-positioned to adapt swiftly if required."Share This Article
#ceo #who #bragged #about #replacing

CEO Who Bragged About Replacing Human Workers With AI Realizes He Made a Terrible Mistake
The company's net losses just doubled.Do No KlarnSwedish buy-now-pay-later company Klarna, whose CEO once bragged about its automated customer service AI bots doing the work of "700 full-time agents," is now in deep trouble.The fintech outfit is facing net losses of million for the first quarter of this year, CNBC reports, which is more than double compared to the same period last year.The company had already paused its highly anticipated IPO in the US last month, which once valued it at over billion.And it's all particularly noteworthy because of how CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski previously bragged that he hadn't hired anyone in a year, following a doubling down on AI tech.During an interview with Bloomberg earlier this month, however, Siemiatkowski struck a dramatically different tone, revealing that the gambit hadn't paid off. He admitted that "there will always be a human if you want" when it comes to customer service — a sign of the times, as investors are starting to ask some tough questions given widespread economic uncertainty.Cash FlowNonetheless, it wasn't a complete reversal. Siemiatkowski defended his embrace of AI last week, boasting that the tech allowed Klarna to shrink its workforce by 40 percent.During its Monday earnings call, an AI-generated avatar of Siemiatkowski took over for the executive, the Financial Times reports, showing that the company is far from giving up on the tech.But public support for the tech is unmistakably falling off. Translation company Duolingo has faced a torrent of pushback from social media users, particularly on TikTok, after its controversial CEO Luis von Ahn announced that AI will gradually replace all contractors.However, while it could be easy to see Klarna as the canary in the coal mine for the AI industry as a whole, its rapidly mounting losses involve other factors as well. As the FT points out, many of the company's American customers are failing to repay their buy-now-pay-later loans.Klarna's credit losses have risen 17 percent year-on-year to million, reflecting widespread economic uncertainty and falling consumer confidence as president Donald Trump's trade war takes its toll.In response, Klarna has said that it's "closely monitoring changes in the macroeconomic environment" and "remains well-positioned to adapt swiftly if required."Share This Article #ceo #who #bragged #about #replacing

FUTURISM.COM

CEO Who Bragged About Replacing Human Workers With AI Realizes He Made a Terrible Mistake

The company's net losses just doubled.Do No KlarnSwedish buy-now-pay-later company Klarna, whose CEO once bragged about its automated customer service AI bots doing the work of "700 full-time agents," is now in deep trouble.The fintech outfit is facing net losses of $99 million for the first quarter of this year, CNBC reports, which is more than double compared to the same period last year.The company had already paused its highly anticipated IPO in the US last month, which once valued it at over $15 billion.And it's all particularly noteworthy because of how CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski previously bragged that he hadn't hired anyone in a year, following a doubling down on AI tech.During an interview with Bloomberg earlier this month, however, Siemiatkowski struck a dramatically different tone, revealing that the gambit hadn't paid off. He admitted that "there will always be a human if you want" when it comes to customer service — a sign of the times, as investors are starting to ask some tough questions given widespread economic uncertainty.Cash FlowNonetheless, it wasn't a complete reversal. Siemiatkowski defended his embrace of AI last week, boasting that the tech allowed Klarna to shrink its workforce by 40 percent.During its Monday earnings call, an AI-generated avatar of Siemiatkowski took over for the executive, the Financial Times reports, showing that the company is far from giving up on the tech.But public support for the tech is unmistakably falling off. Translation company Duolingo has faced a torrent of pushback from social media users, particularly on TikTok, after its controversial CEO Luis von Ahn announced that AI will gradually replace all contractors.However, while it could be easy to see Klarna as the canary in the coal mine for the AI industry as a whole, its rapidly mounting losses involve other factors as well. As the FT points out, many of the company's American customers are failing to repay their buy-now-pay-later loans.Klarna's credit losses have risen 17 percent year-on-year to $136 million, reflecting widespread economic uncertainty and falling consumer confidence as president Donald Trump's trade war takes its toll.In response, Klarna has said that it's "closely monitoring changes in the macroeconomic environment" and "remains well-positioned to adapt swiftly if required."Share This Article

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IBM laid off 8,000 employees to replace them with AI, but what they didn't expect was having to rehire as many due to AI.

CEO Who Bragged About Replacing Human Workers With AI Realizes He Made a Terrible Mistake