2024-11-12 05:30:09 :
“The video calling feature is one of our big bets on AI, and we’re constantly updating our AI capabilities. We’re probably in the best position to generate AI,” Meese said in an interview Mint. “We have enough resources, money and talent to invest right now, but we’re still trying to move very, very quickly. We think these new technologies really require moving fast.”
At the same time, the language learning industry anticipates several challenges for generative AI and its language and translation capabilities. Companies like Duolingo are trying to build on disruptive technology with new features.
Meese, who is on a four-day visit to India, said Duolingo could boost profits with the new feature because users would be more likely to pay for it. “Currently, the feature is not available in India, but we will launch it in India as soon as this month. We think video calling will help people practice conversations and Indians will be more likely to pay for it.”
This feature was launched in the US market in September. Users can talk to the virtual character Lily, providing an immersive interactive experience.
The AI video calling feature will be part of the subscription model Duolingo Max, the company’s most premium product.
Founded in 2011 by Luis von Ahn and Severin Hacker, Duolingo is an American education technology company that teaches languages through gamification. Duolingo stopped making money in India in 2020 to capitalize on the growth in the Indian language learning market driven by Covid-19-induced lockdowns.
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India then stood out, growing four times faster than other international markets, making the country one of the company’s two fastest-growing markets, according to news reports. However, last year Duolingo opened the door to revenue in India.
“When we turned on monetization, the growth slowed down a little bit. But it was the right decision for us,” Meese said. “We have taken the decision to initiate monetization to help us build the long-term health of the Indian market.”
Its subscription models Super Duolingo (formerly Duolingo Plus) and DET (Duolingo English Test) are the company’s main sources of revenue. “India and China are by far DET’s two most important markets.”
India expansion plans
Meese said the company also plans to expand its presence in India and hire more technology talent, at a time when the edtech industry in India has seen significant layoffs in the past two years. As funding and valuations decline post-pandemic, the sector also The time is ripe for integration.
Duolingo is also evaluating acquiring talent from Indian edtech companies to expand its reach. “In India, we are focused on attracting more talent. We are recruiting more people to grow the India technology team and we will continue to look for companies to acquire,” Meese said. Mint.
“It would be difficult for us to prove that we were serious without hiring local employees, and we believe hiring the first engineering and product people in India is a big step,” he said. “This is really a big step for us. In addition, we hope that more people from the headquarters will visit India to better understand the local market landscape.”
In July this year, the company launched its Intermediate English courses globally to provide advanced English skills for education and career development. “This is a focus for us at a company-wide level, and India is the fastest-growing part of it,” Meese said.
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The company is also increasing its penetration in the local language space. In August 2022, Duolingo launched new Indian language courses on its platform, allowing users to learn English from Bengali. It will be launched in Telugu in 2023.
mist told Mint The company currently plans to launch Tamil in 2025.
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