Duolingo shifts language learning online and is bullish on Indian edtech

India is one of Duolingo’s fastest growing markets, and the company sees great potential in introducing more regional languages such as Tamil, Telugu, and Punjabi in the future, according to chief business officer Bob Meese.

The Covid pandemic and the conditions brought about by digital transformation are fueling growth in India’s edtech industry. In order to dominate the sizable market, many companies are releasing cutting-edge products. “Offline learning mode frequently has traditional barriers such as teacher to student ratio,” says a top official at Duolingo, hoping that the platform can shift language learning from offline to online.

Duolingo’s chief business officer Bob Meese, head of Duolingo English test & regional business lead Duolingo, Asia Carrie Wang, and VP of business and GM Duolingo English test Rogelio Alvarez answer questions ranging from app infrastructure to the impact of technology on children, the outlook for the edtech sector, and more in an interview with the Hindustan Times.

In India, language learning has been done in a very traditional manner. How optimistic are you that people will flock to the digital medium for this? Please provide Indian statistics on the reach, audience base, and usage patterns of Duolingo.

Wang: Duolingo’s entire premise is to move language learning from offline to online in the hopes of serving more people. Offline learning mode frequently has traditional barriers like teacher to student ratio. Similarly, English language proficiency testing does not have enough physical testing centres, particularly for people in underserved markets such as Tier II and III. As a result, while learning and testing have traditionally been done offline, there are gaps to fill, which is where Duolingo and the Duolingo English Test (DET) come in.

To put things into perspective, our flagship app has organically become the world’s most popular way to learn languages, as well as the top-grossing app in the Education category on both Google Play and the Apple App Store. In 2022, India will be our fifth largest market by daily active users (DAUs) and the second fastest growing of our top ten markets. In terms of education app downloads, India is the second-largest market after China, and Duolingo is committed to maintaining its leadership in this market. English, Hindi, and French were the most popular languages studied by Indians in 2022.

The latest offering, Duolingo ABC, is aimed at children aged 3 to 8. However, don’t you believe that exposing children to electronic devices at such a young age will cause more harm than good?

Alvarez: While I am not an expert on the harmful effects of exposing children to gadgets, I can say that today’s children, like everyone else, have access to technology, and it is and will continue to be a way of life. Let me quote a recent McKinsey Report to provide context: India is the second-fastest digital adopter among 17 major digital economies. With over 650 million users, India’s internet penetration is now approaching 50%. As a result, the idea is that with limited screen time for kids, what kind of content are you exposing them to—if it’s educational or valuable, it’s a win! As a result, it’s not a matter of exposure for me, but of exposure to what!

In India, edtech is a highly competitive market, and platforms aimed at children under the age of adolescence have had limited success (excluding competitive exam-based platforms). What is your outlook for the industry?

Rogelio Alvarez: The offering is also important. Learning English is such a fundamental yet critical requirement for students to gain access to global education-employment opportunities. Over half of Indian applicants still prioritise English-speaking countries as their first choice for study abroad, and in most English-speaking countries, an English test is often required for international students to gain admission to university programmes. As a result, I believe our product offerings, which range from assisting students to learn English to assessing, have a strong market fit and fill a significant need.

How robust is your app’s technological infrastructure? What unique model have you developed in the app that distinguishes it from competitors by providing a rich user experience?

Rogelio: For DET, we use technology in a variety of ways that set us apart from other high-stakes language proficiency assessments. The Duolingo English Test uses artificial intelligence to personalise itself in real time to each test taker, homing in on their true proficiency faster, more precisely, and securely than traditional fixed form tests. Our test developers use the most recent GPT-3 technology in a ‘human in the loop’ process, allowing them to work in more efficient and creative ways that were not previously possible. Our technology also grades test-taker answers, which can be complex and not just multiple-choice questions. Our Responsible AI Standards improve the test’s ability to carefully construct a validity argument for digital-first assessment and strengthen DET claims about validity, reliability, and fairness. In essence, the Duolingo English Test is the first and only high-stakes test to use AI and machine learning from start to finish. What sets us apart from other traditional high stakes language tests is that we are a digital-first exam, as opposed to others where a digital version was added as an extension to the offline mode.

Carrie: We have also collaborated with other AI technologies such as computer vision and biometrics to ensure test security and integrity is equal to, if not greater than, that of physical testing centres. Plus, item theft is a common occurrence at physical test centres, but with DET’s ‘item factory’ model built with AI, we create thousands of test items automatically, reducing the likelihood of item theft to near zero. Our priority at DET is to create an accessible, reliable, and secure test.

Is it planned to broaden the learning to include more Indian regional languages?

Meese: Duolingo users can learn English in Bengali. This follows the success of allowing Hindi speakers to learn English, which has made it the most popular course in India today. India is one of Duolingo’s fastest growing markets, and we see great potential in the future to introduce even more regional languages such as Tamil, Telugu, and Punjabi.