AI, Duolingo and Shopify: We See Emerging (Un)Employment Trends

People will not be hired for jobs that can be done by AI

How Companies Are Putting AI First and Changing Work

Big tech companies like Duolingo and Shopify are changing how they work by putting artificial intelligence (AI) first. In April 2025, Duolingo announced they built more language courses in one year with AI than in the last twelve years combined. They created 148 new courses and made seven popular languages available in all 28 app languages. Meanwhile, Shopify's CEO Tobi Lütke told teams they must prove why jobs can't be done by AI before hiring new people. These changes show how companies are rethinking who does the work and how it gets done.

How Companies Are Approaching AI and Workers

These companies share several common approaches to AI and employment:

Reorganizing around AI is happening at both companies. Duolingo calls this "a fundamental cultural shift" where departments must "reconsider their workflows"1. Their CEO said making "minor tweaks to systems designed for humans won't get us there," meaning they need to completely rethink how work happens.

Stricter hiring rules are being used by both companies. Duolingo will only hire "for roles that cannot be automated", while Shopify requires teams to "prove why certain jobs can't be done using AI" before approving new positions.

Both companies will also evaluate employees on how well they use AI tools in their work.

Using fewer contractors is a clear goal, especially at Duolingo, which plans to "gradually stop using contractors to do work that AI can handle"

This means many temporary workers will be replaced by AI systems.

Talking about helping, not replacing workers is how leaders describe these changes. Duolingo's CEO emphasizes that "this isn't about replacing Duos with AI" but instead "removing bottlenecks" so employees can "focus on creative work and real problems, not repetitive tasks".

Both companies say AI will make human work better, but the actual changes suggest some jobs will disappear.

Challenges and Opportunities for Workers

These AI-first strategies create several challenges for workers.

Job uncertainty is a real concern, especially for contractors who are directly targeted for replacement. While companies say they want to help permanent employees, contract workers face direct competition from AI systems.

New skills are required as AI becomes necessary rather than optional. Duolingo is making AI skills "a criterion in hiring decisions" and will include "AI use in employee performance evaluations", forcing workers to quickly learn new tools.

Constant change is expected as departments reorganize. Duolingo's CEO admits this disruption, noting that while "we're not going to rebuild everything overnight," the company "can't wait until the technology is 100% perfect".

However, these changes also offer some positive opportunitiesl.

More creative work is promised by both companies. Duolingo's CEO emphasizes that employees should "focus on creative work and real problems, not repetitive tasks", which could make jobs more interesting.

New features become possible with AI integration. Duolingo says "AI integration will also support new features, including video calls, that were not previously possible", which could create exciting projects to work on.

Training and support are promised to help employees adjust. Duolingo commits to providing "more training, mentoring, and access to AI tools" for all teams2, offering chances to learn valuable new skills.

This shift to AI-first strategies is one of the biggest changes in how companies operate since remote work became common. Company leaders say these changes will remove boring tasks and increase creativity, but the plans to reduce hiring and replace contractors show this transition will be tough for many workers. As more companies adopt similar strategies, workers will need to learn AI skills and find ways to work alongside AI rather than compete with it.

Broader Conclusions on AI's Impact on Employment and the Workforce

The documents and search results reveal several broader conclusions about AI's growing influence on employment.

Economic Uncertainty in the Age of AI

The scale of potential job displacement is creating significant economic anxiety across the workforce. According to Goldman Sachs, AI could displace 300 million jobs worldwide, representing 9.1% of all jobs globally. This uncertainty isn't evenly distributed, with younger workers feeling particularly vulnerable-those aged 18-24 are 129% more likely than workers over 65 to worry that AI will make their jobs obsolete. McKinsey projects that by 2030, 30% of current U.S. jobs could be automated, with 60% significantly altered by AI tools. This creates a profound sense of insecurity, as 30% of workers already fear their jobs will be replaced by AI or similar technology by 2025.

[I think these numbers are underestimated]

Transformation of Workforce Composition

Companies are explicitly implementing policies to reduce human labor in certain roles while potentially creating demands in others. Duolingo and Shopify have established clear hiring restrictions, with Duolingo stating "headcount will only be given if a team cannot automate more of their work" and Shopify requiring teams to "prove why certain jobs can't be done using AI".

While many traditional roles face elimination, new AI-adjacent positions are emerging. According to McKinsey, AI is expected to create 20-50 million new jobs globally by 2030, including AI trainers, data scientists, human-machine teaming managers, and AI ethics specialists.

The Reality Behind "Augmentation" Rhetoric

While corporate leaders frame AI as augmenting rather than replacing workers, the practical implementation suggests a more complex reality. Duolingo's CEO emphasizes that "this isn't about replacing Duos with AI" but rather "removing bottlenecks,” yet simultaneously announces plans to "gradually stop using contractors to do work that AI can handle". This reveals an important distinction between how companies treat core employees versus contractors. The augmentation narrative holds more truth for highly skilled positions-fewer than 5% of occupations currently consist entirely of tasks that current technology can perform without human assistance. However, as one analysis notes, "job augmentation for some means job replacement for others", particularly for roles centered on routine, repetitive tasks.

AI Skills: Necessary but Not Sufficient

Developing AI skills improves employability but offers no guarantee of job security. Both Duolingo and Shopify have made AI proficiency mandatory rather than optional, with Duolingo explicitly stating that "AI use will be part of what we look for in hiring" and "AI use will be part of what we evaluate in performance reviews".

However, AI skills alone won't protect jobs that can be fully automated. The most resilient positions will combine technical AI proficiency with abilities like creativity, ethical judgment, and complex interpersonal skills. As one report notes, roles requiring "critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving" alongside AI literacy will be most sustainable. Workers should therefore pursue a dual strategy of both technical upskilling and developing uniquely human capabilities that complement rather than compete with AI systems.

While AI integration presents significant challenges to traditional employment models, it also creates opportunities for workers who can navigate this technological transition. The key distinction is increasingly between jobs that will be transformed by AI versus those that will be replaced entirely.