AI Adoption in Communications Is Gaining Momentum and Clarity Is the Catalyst
When technological shifts happen, companies face a critical choice: hesitate and risk irrelevance, or lead with clarity and urgency. Duolingo, the language-learning powerhouse founded in 2011, is proving that internal communication can be the engine of transformation. In a bold internal memo earlier this year, CEO Luis von Ahn declared, “Duolingo is going to be AI-first.”
This isn’t just about adopting a new tool—it’s about embedding a new mindset. Drawing a parallel to their early bet on mobile in 2012, which helped them win Apple’s iPhone App of the Year and unlock organic growth, von Ahn framed AI not as an efficiency play, but as mission-critical to scaling education globally. The memo laid out specific changes in team structure, hiring practices, and workflows—all powered by automation—with one clear message: AI is the future, and we’re moving now.
That same sense of urgency is beginning to define the communications industry, where the question has shifted from if to how fast teams can adapt.
