In the U.S., more people are learning to read, write and speak in a new language using the app Duolingo. In fact, the number of people learning a second language using Duolingo is more than in the entire U.S. public school system.
Duolingo’s mascot, Duo, needs little introduction. A big, bright green owl with an even bigger personality, Duo has become a globally beloved character with over 5 million followers on TikTok. Duo’s hobbies include dancing, sending reminders to practice your language of choice, instigating a rivalry with Google Translate, flirting with singer Dua Lipa, and ignoring Duolingo’s legal team.
Beyond the stardom, at the core of Duolingo is artificial intelligence research, guiding each learner through individualized learning experiences. Today, Duolingo is valued at over $3 billion, and the research that allowed Duo to take flight was originally supported by NSF.