It’s long been thought that practicing with native speakers is the best way to learn a language, but Duolingo says its AI characters can do the job even if you don’t have a worldwide contact list. I’m thinking. The language learning app showed off two new AI features at the annual Duocon conference: video calls and adventures. Both aim to improve language skills with AI.
A video call, as the name suggests, is a video call with an AI character who speaks the language you’re trying to learn. This feature uses Lily, a widely used character on Duolingo. Lily is a somewhat grumpy but smart character who uses AI to chat with users, understand what they say, and respond in a realistic way. This includes what she says and the voice that speaks those words, whose tone and cadence mimics humans fairly well, and whose conversations incorporate pauses for “thinking.” .
It’s not a one-size-fits-all conversation either. Lily adjusts her responses based on your progress in language learning, gently correcting your mistakes and encouraging you to keep trying. Currently, Lilly only speaks English, Spanish, and French, but the company plans to add more soon. Additionally, this feature is only available to Duolingo Max subscribers.
Lily and Oscar’s adventures
When you turn to Duolingo Adventures, you can do more than just talk to Lily. This simulation game is set in a variety of real-world scenarios. There, you’ll have to communicate with Lily and Duolingo’s mascot Oscar as you explore, completing tasks and solving problems at schools, stores, and more.
The aim is to learn how to speak in useful contexts and expand your vocabulary. The AI character corrects mistakes by adjusting what it says to help you understand it better, much like a (very patient) real human would try to help a non-verbal visitor. Masu. Adventure features are only available to English speakers learning French and Spanish speakers learning English. However, Adventures is not limited to Max subscribers and can be accessed through the Duolingo app.
Video Call and Adventures continues to invest in AI for Duolingo’s apps. Last year, the company partnered with OpenAI to give Max subscribers detailed explanations for incorrect quiz answers with the “Explain My Answer” feature, and the ability to have conversations with a generative AI chatbot with the role-play feature. provided an opportunity to practice. As AI translation and education tools continue to proliferate, they could be key to keeping Duolingo relevant and popular, especially on a global scale where AI tools are less accessible.
Louis von Ahn, co-founder and CEO of Duolingo, said: “Our mission is to develop the world’s best education and make it universally available. We believe the way forward is by continually pushing the boundaries of technology.” He continued, “With new AI-powered features like video calls and adventures, we’re developing new immersive ways to practice your language and boost your confidence.”
