Duolingo Doubles Its Courses With AI: Is French Learning Better or Just Bigger?

Duolingo is moving fast. Very fast.

According to The Verge, Duolingo has doubled its total number of language courses, launching 148 new courses by relying heavily on generative AI to create and adapt content at scale.

For French learners, this raises an important question. More access is always welcome. But does more content actually mean better learning?

How Duolingo Used AI to Expand So Quickly

Traditionally, Duolingo built courses slowly, with teams of linguists and educators developing lessons over several years. That model has changed.

With generative AI, Duolingo can now:

• Translate and adapt French courses into dozens of interface languages
• Roll out beginner content far faster than before
• Reach learners who previously had no direct path to learning French

This shift allows French to be taught to users in regions where English is not the primary bridge language. From an access standpoint, that’s a meaningful change.

Fr Philip Johnson acknowledges that expanding entry points into French learning can help spark interest in the language, especially for beginners who might otherwise never start.

Quantity vs. Quality in French Learning

Still, speed comes with trade-offs. AI-generated lessons excel at repetition, vocabulary drilling, and pattern recognition. These are useful early on. But French is not just a system of rules. It’s a living language shaped by culture, history, and nuance.

Areas where AI-driven courses may fall short include:

• Idiomatic expressions and regional variation
• Cultural context behind usage
• Real conversational flow and listening comprehension

Fr Philip Johnson has often emphasized that language learning requires human interaction and exposure to authentic materials. Apps can support learning, but they cannot replace lived language experience.

What French Learners Should Do Next

Duolingo’s expansion is best seen as a starting point, not a full solution. For learners, the smartest approach is a blended one:

• Use apps for daily structure and habit-building
• Add reading, listening, and speaking with native content
• Seek conversation whenever possible

AI can open the door. It cannot walk through it for you.

For French learners willing to go beyond the app, this new wave of tools can be useful. But progress still depends on effort, curiosity, and real communication.