语言学习的AI实践,多邻国App超5亿用户 Duolingo’s AI-Driven Evolution in EdTech

文摘   教育   2024-04-14 18:55   安哥拉  

点亮“星标⭐️”关注“戏阅荟DramaBizz

点击上方 戏阅荟DramaBizz > 右上角 "…" > 设为星标




Have you heard? There’s a “new trend” sweeping across… Everyone is leveling up and scoring points on “Duolingo,” engaging in challenges as if playing a game… and inadvertently boosting their language skills. The days of rote memorization and the headaches associated with traditional language learning? They simply don’t exist in the world of Duolingo…


Duolingo has perfectly captured the modern desire to learn languages on a whim—whether it’s to enjoy Korean dramas more deeply, watch Japanese anime without subtitles, or dive into Cantonese for TVB dramas and Canto Pop. By gamifying the learning process, Duolingo makes acquiring new languages not only fun but addictive.


How does Duolingo keep users coming back with its engaging game mechanics?


你听说了吗?最近有一种“新潮流”正在兴起……大家都在「多邻国Duolingo」里挑战关卡,刷分升级……明明是在玩游戏,却不小心就提高了自己的外语水平……那些死记硬背的单词,头疼的学习感受……在Duolingo这里,这些全都不存在了……


多邻国完美抓住了现代人随心所欲学语言的小心机——可能是为了更带感地追韩剧而学韩语,或是为了能不靠字幕看懂日本动漫和自如游日本而学日语,又或者是为了深度追剧TVB、享受Canto Pop而学习粤语。多邻国通过将学习过程玩味十足地游戏化,让人不知不觉中就学到了新语言,既有趣又上瘾。


多邻国如何通过精彩的游戏机制让用户欲罢不能?


文 | Caroline Liang


In a world where the language of connection is constantly evolving, one platform has emerged as a beacon for millions seeking to break down linguistic barriers: Duolingo. This is the story of a simple yet revolutionary idea that blossomed into a global phenomenon, transforming the way we learn languages. Through a blend of strategic innovation, technological prowess, and a deep understanding of what drives human engagement, Duolingo has rewritten the rules of language education. Embark on a journey with us as we dissect the inner workings of Duolingo, uncovering the secrets behind its unprecedented success and the lessons it offers for aspiring businesses worldwide. From its initial steps, leveraging crowdsourced translations, to its evolution into a multifaceted educational giant, this article explores how Duolingo operates, thrives, and continues to innovate in a fast-paced digital world

在这个语言连接持续演化的时代,多邻国如同一座灯塔,为无数渴望跨越语言障碍的人指引方向。这是一个关于如何将一个简单的创意变革为全球性现象、改变我们学习语言方法的故事。多邻国通过结合战略性创新、技术力量和对促进人类参与的深刻理解,重新定义了语言教育的规则。让我们一同走进多邻国的世界,探秘其取得前所未有成功的秘诀及其为全球创业者提供的宝贵经验。从利用众包翻译的早期尝试,到发展成为一个全方位的教育巨头,本文将讲述多邻国如何在这个快速变化的数字时代中不断发展、壮大并持续创新的故事。

About Duolingo 关于多邻国


Duolingo, a globally popular language learning app, was co-founded by Luis von Ahn and Severin Hacker in 2011. The app uses an AI owl mascot named "Duo" to introduce a novel way of learning languages. Known for its interactive and fun learning environment, Duolingo allows users to learn languages such as Spanish, French, German, and Italian in a playful and engaging setting.

The learning approach on Duolingo is gamified. Users progress through a series of lessons and quizzes, enhancing their language skills while being motivated by instant feedback and rewards. Additionally, Duolingo offers the Duolingo English Test, an economical and convenient language proficiency test recognized by educational institutions and businesses worldwide.

Duolingo is more than just a tool for learning; it fosters a vibrant community where users can exchange experiences and insights. The platform is committed to making educational resources freely available to everyone, removing barriers to language learning with an inclusive approach and continual technological innovation. Today, Duolingo boasts over 500 million users, with more than 40 million active monthly users. In 2023, the platform not only turned a profit in the second quarter but also saw its net revenue soar to $12.1 million in the fourth quarter.

The inspiration for Duolingo came from Luis's previous projects, CAPTCHA and reCAPTCHA, which utilized human inputs to digitize books and translate phrases that computers could not understand. Similarly, Duolingo leverages user interactions to translate real website content while they learn, providing a foundation for its teaching methodology.Post-reCAPTCHA sale to Google, Luis von Ahn developed Duolingo to extend his innovative vision into the language learning market, a vast area demonstrated by the success of traditional language schools like New Oriental. Duolingo aims to make language learning accessible and enjoyable worldwide.

Duolingo currently offers two main product lines: its well-known gamified language learning app—the Duolingo App—and the Duolingo English Test (DET), which addresses both learning and testing aspects. As of the fourth quarter of 2023, the Duolingo App’s daily active users (DAU) reached 26.9 million, marking a 65% year-over-year increase. According to founder Luis von Ahn, this growth in user base is expected to drive an increase in company profits. Additionally, Duolingo’s AI strategy and a social-first marketing approach have significantly contributed to its growth. Luis von Ahn notes that since its inception, Duolingo has been powered by AI, and it has recently introduced Duolingo Max, which integrates GPT-4 technology, with a continued focus on leveraging AI to enhance learning effectiveness.


多邻国(Duolingo)是一款免费且风靡全球的语言学习应用,由Luis von Ahn 和 Severin Hacker 于2011年共同创立。多邻国利用人工智能绿猫头鹰"Duo多儿",创造了一种全新的语言学习方式,这个平台以其互动性强和寓教于乐的方式,让学习者能够在轻松有趣的环境中学习西班牙语、法语、德语、意大利语等多种语言。


多邻国的学习方式类似玩游戏,用户通过完成一系列的课程和小测试来提升语言能力,每个阶段的通过都伴随着即时反馈和奖励,极大地提升了学习的动力和效率。此外,Duolingo还推出了英语能力测试——Duolingo English Test,这是一个既经济又便捷的测试方式,被全球多个教育机构和企业所认可。


多邻国不仅仅是一个学习工具,它也是一个充满活力的社区,用户可以在这里交流学习经验,分享学习心得。多邻国致力于让教育资源对每个人都免费开放,使语言学习变得无国界,无障碍。这种开放和包容的理念,以及持续的技术革新,使多邻国成为全球数百万学习者的首选平台。


如今,多邻国的用户群已破5亿,月活跃用户也冲破了8000万大关,共提供40多种语言课程。这个坚持提供免费课程的平台,2023年第二季度不仅扭亏为盈,第四季度的净收入更是飙升到1210万美元。

Duolingo的灵感起源

Duolingo起初的灵感来自于Luis的先前项目CAPTCHA和reCAPTCHA,这些技术利用人类输入来帮助数字化书籍。并通过验证码表格和众包技术翻译计算机无法理解的关键词或短语。Duolingo的工作机制与此类似,在用户学习新语言的同时,他们实际上也在翻译真实的网站内容。这种模式为Duolingo的教学方法提供了基础。


Duolingo是Luis von Ahn在将reCAPTCHA出售给谷歌后继续延伸其创新理念所开发的产品。该平台初衷是让全球用户都能以免费且有趣的方式学习语言,尽管如此,Duolingo的目标市场是庞大的语言学习领域。从新东方等传统语言学校的成功可以看出,语言教育市场的潜力巨大。



AI战略、社交优先

多邻国目前推出了两大产品线:一是其广为人知的游戏化语言学习应用——多邻国App;另一个是英语水平评估测试,即多邻国英语测试(DET),涵盖了学习和测试两大功能。截止2023年四季度,多邻国App的日活跃用户(DAU)达到2690万,同比增长65%。创始人路易斯·冯·安认为,用户数量的增长将带动公司利润的增长。此外,多邻国的AI战略、社交优先(social-first)的营销策略也极大地推动了多邻国的发展。路易斯·冯·安指出,多邻国自成立之初便由AI驱动,现已推出融合了GPT-4的Duolingo Max产品,未来仍将侧重利用AI,使学习更有效。


Duolingo 2023 Financials

多邻国2023财报亮点‍‍‍‍


Duolingo is not only an innovative language learning platform but also a standout in the edtech industry, with revenue streams from multiple sources:


1. Subscription Business: Through its Super Duolingo membership services, Duolingo offers an ad-free learning and gamified experience, which serves as its primary revenue driver.

2. Advertising Business: Duolingo charges advertisers who choose to place ads within the app.

3. English Test Business: Duolingo charges users who take its English proficiency test, which is recognized by over 4,500 institutions and programs globally, often used for study abroad applications and visa acquisition.

4. Other Business: Includes the sale of virtual goods within the app.


Duolingo’s primary revenue source comes from its subscription services, with the majority of its paying users located in economically developed countries like the USA and Canada. Luis believes this model effectively redistributes wealth, stating, “Our fundamental idea is to have the wealthy pay for everyone’s education.” As a leading language learning platform, Duolingo has demonstrated consistent growth since its public listing. It maintains a leadership position in the AI education sector, supported by its vast market, unique marketing strategies, and robust AI capabilities.


多邻国不仅是一个创新的语言学习平台,也是表现出色的教育科技公司之一,其营收主要由以下几部分构成:


1. 订阅业务:多邻国通过其Super Duolingo会员服务提供无广告的学习和游戏化体验,这是其主要的收入来源。

2. 广告业务:向选择在应用中投放广告的广告主收费。

3. 英语测试业务:向参加其英语能力测试的考生收费,该测试已被全球超过4500所学院和项目认可,常用于留学申请和签证申领。

4. 其他业务:包括应用内虚拟商品的销售等。


多邻国的主要收入来源是订阅业务,其付费用户主要集中在美国、加拿大等经济较发达的国家。Luis认为,这种模式实际上是一种财富再分配:“我们的基本理念是让富裕的人群来支付所有人的教育费用。”作为领先的语言学习平台,多邻国自上市以来持续展示出优美的增长趋势。得益于广阔的语言学习市场、独特的营销策略以及强大的AI支持,多邻国在AI教育领域保持领先地位。





Fourth Quarter 2023 Highlights 

  • Total bookings were $191.0 million, an increase of 51% from the prior year quarter;

  • Subscription bookings were $157.8 million, an increase of 57% from the prior year quarter;

  • Paid Subscribers totaled 6.6 million at quarter end, an increase of 57% from the prior year quarter;

  • Daily active users (DAUs) were 26.9 million, an increase of 65% from the prior year quarter and monthly active users (MAUs) were 88.4 million, an increase of 46% from the prior year quarter;

  • Total revenues were $151.0 million, an increase of 45% from the prior year quarter;

  • Net income totaled $12.1 million, compared to a net loss of $13.9 million in the prior year quarter;

  • Adjusted EBITDA was $35.2 million, compared to $5.2 million in the prior year quarter, a 23.3% versus 5.0% Adjusted EBITDA margin, respectively;

  • Cash flow from operating activities was $49.2 million compared to $11.6 million in the prior year quarter, and free cash flow was $47.7 million compared to $11.3 million in the prior year quarter.


PITTSBURGH, Feb. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Duolingo, Inc. (NASDAQ: DUOL), the world’s leading mobile learning platform, announced results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2023 in a shareholder letter that is posted at investors.duolingo.com.

“2023 was an exceptional year that exceeded our own high expectations. It was capped off with a very strong Q4 that saw us achieve record bookings, revenue and profitability,” said Luis von Ahn, Co-Founder and CEO of Duolingo. “We accelerated DAU growth in each quarter of 2023, and in Q4 achieved record-high user engagement and a record number of subscribers. 

In the first half of 2023, Duolingo launched a new product for its paid members, Duolingo Max, which integrates AI features to enhance the user experience and the quality of instruction. This innovation is expected to further increase the conversion rates and average revenue per user.

公司联合创始人兼首席执行官路易斯·冯·安表示:“2023年是超出我们高期望的卓越之年,第四季度我们实现了创纪录的预订量、收入和盈利。”

2023年第四季度的业绩亮点包括:

总预订量为1.91亿美元,比去年同期增长51%;
•订阅预订量为1.578亿美元,比去年同期增长57%;
•季末付费订阅者总数达到660万,比去年同期增长57%;
•日活跃用户为2690万,比去年同期增长65%,月活跃用户为8840万,比去年同期增长46%;
•总收入为1.51亿美元,比去年同期增长45%;
•净收入为1210万美元,而去年同期为净亏损1390万美元;
•调整后的EBITDA为3520万美元,比去年同期的520万美元大幅提高,调整后的EBITDA利润率分别为23.3%和5.0%;
•经营活动产生的现金流为4920万美元,比去年同期的1160万美元有大幅提升,自由现金流为4770万美元,比去年同期的1130万美元也有显著增长。

2023 年上半年推出针对付费会员的融合 AI 功能的新产品 Duolingo Max 正有效提升用户体验和教学质量,有望进一步提升付费用户转化率和客单价。

Duolinggo's Busienss Models

 多邻国商业模型和关键战略


Duolingo’s journey represents a compelling narrative of innovation and market understanding in the educational technology (EdTech) sector. From a novel concept to becoming the leading global language learning platform, Duolingo has charted a remarkable growth trajectory through its unique business model, technological advancements, and deep market insights. Let’s delve into the key strategic elements that make up Duolingo’s business model:



多邻国的发展历程是一段关于如何在教育科技(EdTech)领域突破创新,以及如何深刻理解市场需求并成功应对的精彩故事。从一个富有创意的想法到成为全球领先的语言学习平台,多邻国通过其独特的商业模式、技术创新,以及对市场深入的洞察力,书写了一段令人瞩目的成长历程。让我们一起探讨构成多邻国商业模型的关键战略要素:


1.Freemium Model and Gamification



Freemium Model :

Duolingo employs a freemium model that allows users free access to basic language learning functions, enabling anyone interested in learning a new language to start easily. For those more invested in their learning journey, Duolingo offers a premium subscription service (Duolingo Plus), which includes ad removal, offline course access, unlimited hearts, and other advanced features. This model cleverly provides a seamless user experience, attracting a wide user base while supporting the platform’s sustainable development through subscription revenue.


The language learning market is expansive, with many learners not just studying basic English but seeking advanced content. Despite this, about half of Duolingo's revenue comes from the U.S., where users primarily engage in learning non-English languages like Spanish or French. Meanwhile, in non-English-speaking regions such as Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe, the focus is predominantly on learning English.


Duolingo sees significant commercial opportunities across various markets, emphasizing the need to elevate the level of English courses while enhancing overall service to ensure user retention regardless of when they join. The company operates on a freemium model, which poses a challenge as many users find the free version sufficiently comprehensive. Luis von Ahn has pointed out that converting free users to paying subscribers is crucial for Duolingo, marking it as a key objective for the company.


Gamification:

How can learning be as fun as playing games? In an era where games and social media constantly vie for our attention, making people fall in love with learning is a daunting task, akin to placing a plate of broccoli next to the most tempting dessert. However, Luis and his team have decided to transform learning into the “dessert” itself, making it far from dull. Duolingo significantly enhances the fun and engagement of learning by integrating gamification elements into the language learning process. This includes earning experience points (XP), obtaining continuous login rewards (Streaks), and unlocking rewards for achieving milestones. These elements not only make the learning process more appealing but also motivate users to regularly return to the app for continued learning, thus increasing user stickiness and retention rates.

For example, the wildly popular streak system, which marks the consecutive days you've been learning. This setup ensures users log into Duolingo daily to maintain their hard-earned streaks. Data reveals that currently, over three million active daily users have kept up their streaks for more than 365 days straight! Their enthusiasm could rival binge-watching their favorite series.


Furthermore, Duolingo constantly captivates users with clever and humorous notifications. These notifications are not only unique and engaging but have also prompted countless users to share and recreate content on social media, significantly enhancing Duolingo's popularity and acclaim. This ingenious recall strategy transforms notifications from mere reminders into a cultural phenomenon, encouraging users to share their learning journeys with others.


The success of the gamification strategy lies in its ability to tap into users’ intrinsic motivations, such as the desire for achievement, social interaction, and self-improvement. By turning the learning process into a game, Duolingo successfully combines users’ motivation to learn with enjoyment. This not only improves learning efficiency but also promotes the development of learning habits


Duolingo’s freemium model and gamification strategy together create an ecosystem that not only attracts a large number of users but also maintains long-term engagement. This innovative combination has not only won Duolingo millions of users worldwide but also serves as a valuable reference for other applications looking to succeed in the digital education field.


免费增值模型与游戏化


免费增值模型:

多邻国采用的免费增值(Freemium)模型允许用户免费访问基础的语言学习功能,这确保了任何对学习新语言有兴趣的人都能轻松开始。对于更加投入的学习者,多邻国提供了高级订阅服务(多邻国Plus),包括去除广告、离线访问课程、无限心形生命值等高级功能。这种模式的巧妙之处在于它提供了一种无缝的用户体验,吸引了广泛的用户群体,同时通过高级订阅收入支持了平台的持续发展。


语言学习市场巨大,尽管大多数人都在学英语,但其中许多人追求更高级的学习内容,而非仅满足于初级水平。然而,大约一半的多邻国收入源自美国,这些用户大多学习西班牙语或法语等非英语课程。与此同时,在亚洲、拉丁美洲、西欧等非英语国家,人们则主要学习英语。


多邻国认为不同市场都存在巨大的商机,需要提高英语课程的水平,同时改进服务,确保无论用户何时加入都能持续使用。多邻国的产品采用免费增值模式,很多用户认为免费版本已经非常好,这给多邻国带来了挑战,即如何将免费用户转化为付费用户。路易斯·冯·安表示,解决这个问题是多邻国的关键任务


游戏化的思维和体验:

学习怎么

能跟玩游戏一样有趣呢?在这个游戏和社交媒体不断争夺我们注意力的时代,要让人们爱上学习真是挑战重重,好比是在诱人的甜点旁边放一盘西兰花。但是,Luis和他的团队决定把学习变成“甜点”,让它变得不再枯燥。

多邻国通过将游戏化元素融入语言学习过程中,极大地提升了学习的趣味性和参与度。这包括赚取经验值(XP)、完成每日任务获得连续登录奖励(Streaks)、达成成就解锁奖励等。这些元素不仅使学习过程变得更加吸引人,还激励用户定期回到应用中继续学习,从而增强了用户粘性和留存率。

比如,超火的连胜机制,这可是代表你不间断学习的天数。有了这个设定,用户为了保住自己辛苦赢得的连胜纪录,就得每天都来点开多邻国。数据显示,目前多邻国已经有超过三百万的日活用户坚持每天打卡,连续超过365天哦!这热情堪比追剧追到忘我啊。



再比如, 多邻国一直在用机智和幽默的“通知”吸引用户回归。它们的消息通知不仅风格独特、引人入胜,还让无数用户忍不住在社交媒体上分享和二次创作,极大地提升了多邻国的知名度和好评度。这种巧妙的召回策略,让多邻国的通知不单单是个提醒,更成了一种文化现象,促使用户乐于与他人分享自己的学习旅程


游戏化策略的成功在于它触动了用户的内在动机,如成就感、社交互动和自我提升的欲望。通过将学习过程变成一种游戏,多邻国成功地

将用户的学习动力和乐趣结合起来,这不仅提高了学习效率,也促进了学习习惯的养成。


多邻国的免费增值模型和游戏化策略共同构建了一个既能吸引大量用户,又能维持长期参与度的生态系统。这种创新的结合不仅为多邻国赢得了全球数百万用户的青睐,也为其他希望在数字教育领域取得成功的应用提供了宝贵的借鉴导致的诸多挑战。


2. "Social-first" marketing strategy.

Duolingo's growth is not just due to natural user expansion, but significantly supported by its "social-first" marketing strategy. CEO Luis von Ahn has highlighted that Duolingo's approach of integrating with popular cultural events and social media activities encourages fans and users to become ambassadors for the brand. This strategy has been so effective that user-generated content about Duolingo on platforms like TikTok and YouTube has surpassed the output from the company itself. This interactive marketing approach has effectively transformed users into active proponents of the brand, significantly broadening Duolingo's social influence and user base.Previously, Duolingo launched products related to its mascot Duo, and plans are in place to introduce new merchandise such as plush toys and stickers of Lily, another character. Additionally, the marketing team is dedicated to creating Duolingo-themed emojis and content that users love, which has significantly increased the brand's exposure.

Globally, Duolingo maintains about ten key overseas markets, employing distinct marketing strategies tailored to each country while keeping a consistent core philosophy. The product's fundamental logic remains unchanged, setting Duolingo apart from other apps. However, localization adjustments are made for different markets and regions. For instance, in China, influencer marketing is very effective, whereas in the U.S., the dynamics differ; in Japan, television advertising is more common.

Duolingo also strives to adapt to local markets by integrating local pop culture. In China, the characters "Lily" and "Duo" are particularly popular, especially the cool and aloof persona of purple-haired "Lily," which has resonated more than "Duo." Duolingo capitalizes on this popularity by promoting these characters on various social media platforms like Bilibili, Xiaohongshu, Kuaishou, and Douyin, converting this affection into user engagement and interaction.

Duolingo attends the Barbie Movie Premiere 

Thanks to its "social-first" marketing strategy, Duolingo has become one of the most watched brands on TikTok, which has greatly increased its social media exposure. This significant growth has further fueled the development of Duolingo’s brand and increased its user base. Duolingo actively collaborates with high-quality IP brands, like its collaboration last year with the movie "Barbie." This not only enhances Duolingo's brand image but also boosts the appeal of its products.

To improve user retention, Duolingo continually works to make its products more engaging and game-like to enhance user involvement. The team iterates on the product weekly, updating various modules such as leaderboards to make the content more interesting. Additionally, elements like animated characters are included, and exercises are made more game-like and fun, effectively boosting user activity and retention. This strategy of continuous iteration and updating has significantly helped Duolingo keep user interest and engagement high.

社交优先 social-first”的营销策略
CEO 路易斯·冯·安认为,多邻国的增长不仅源于自然的用户增长,还得益于其独特的“社交优先 social-first”的营销策略。多邻国通过与流行文化事件和社交媒体活动的结合,激励粉丝和用户成为品牌的传播大使。这种策略使得用户在TikTok和YouTube上创造的关于多邻国的内容量已超过了公司自己发布的内容。这种互动性的营销方法有效地将用户转变为品牌的积极倡导者,从而扩大了多邻国的社交影响力和用户基础。

在全球约有十个海外市场中,多邻国针对不同国家采用了不同的营销策略,但都保持着核心理念的一致性。产品的核心逻辑是不变的,这使得多邻国与其他APP不同。同时,多邻国还针对不同的市场和区域进行了适当的本地化调整。 以中国市场为例,指出在中国社交达人(influencer)营销非常有效,而在美国则情况有所不同;在日本,电视广告是更常见的宣传手段。

“拽姐Lily”和“多儿Duo”

多邻国还努力通过融入当地流行文化来适应本地市场。在中国,多邻国发现其两个玩偶形象“拽姐Lily”和“多儿Duo”非常受欢迎,特别是紫色头发多“拽姐Lily”的酷高冷形象在国内比“Duo多儿”更受欢迎。公司通过在B站、小红书、快手、抖音等多个社交媒体上进行推广,有效地将这种喜爱转化为用户的参与和互动。多邻国之前推出过Duo的相关产品,未来还将推出莉莉的毛绒玩具和贴纸等新的周边商品。营销团队还会专门制作用户喜爱的多邻国表情包和相关内容,这些创意也大大增加了多邻国的品牌曝光度。

由于采用了以“社交优先 social-first”的营销策略,多邻国在TikTok上成为了备受瞩目的品牌之一,其社交媒体的曝光率也极大提升。这种显著的增长进一步推动了多邻国品牌的发展及口碑用户的增加。多邻国积极与高质量的IP品牌合作,如去年与电影《芭比》的合作。这种合作不仅提升了多邻国的品牌形象,也增加了其产品的吸引力。

为了提升用户留存率,多邻国不断努力使其产品更具吸引力和趣味性,类似于游戏体验,以增强用户的参与感。为此,团队每周都会对产品进行迭代,更新各种功能模块,如排行榜等,以使内容更富有趣味。此外,还加入了诸如动画人物这样的元素,以及对练习内容进行更有趣的游戏化改进,从而有效提高用户的活跃度和留存率。这种不断迭代和更新的策略,已经帮助多邻国在保持用户兴趣和参与方面取得了显著成效。


3. Data Leads Every Step

Duolingo harnesses the power of big data and AI technology to continuously optimize user experience through ongoing A/B testing, ensuring each learner receives a personalized learning path. This data-driven decision-making process enables Duolingo to precisely meet users’ learning needs, standing out in a competitive market.

Data-Driven Personalized Learning: Duolingo customizes individual learning paths for each user by analyzing data on learning habits, types of mistakes, and progress, utilizing machine learning algorithms. This personalization not only adapts the learning content but also tailors the difficulty of challenges and the scheduling of review periods. In this way, users can learn at their own pace and difficulty level, maximizing learning outcomes.

Data-Optimized User Experience:Data is not only used to optimize learning content but also to enhance the user experience. By analyzing data on user interactions and app performance, Duolingo can promptly identify and resolve potential UI issues or technical faults, ensuring a smooth user experience. Furthermore, analyzing feedback data allows Duolingo to align closer with user needs, continuously improving and innovating its services.

Data-Supported Decision Making:In business decision-making, the role of data is also crucial. Duolingo guides its market strategies and product development directions through market data, user growth data, and engagement data. These insights help Duolingo understand market trends, assess the potential of new features, and tailor promotions and optimizations for different markets.

Continuous A/B Testing:Duolingo extensively employs A/B testing to verify the effectiveness of new features, course content, and teaching methods. By randomly assigning users to test and control groups, Duolingo can accurately assess the real impact of various changes on user learning outcomes and app usage behavior. This evidence-based approach ensures that every update and improvement brings tangible benefits.

Data plays a leading role in the operation and development of Duolingo, not only helping the platform to continually optimize teaching content and methods but also ensuring a high standard of user experience. Through in-depth analysis and application of data, Duolingo can precisely capture user needs and preferences, moving forward in a data-driven manner. This provides valuable insights for other EdTech enterprises as well.

数据,引领每一步


多邻国利用大数据和AI技术,通过不断的A/B测试来优化用户体验,使得每个学习者都能获得个性化的学习路径。这种以数据为驱动的决策制定过程,确保了多邻国能够精准地满足用户的学习需求,从而在激烈的市场竞争中脱颖而出。


数据驱动的个性化学习:

通过

分析用户的学习习惯、错误类型和进度等数据,运用机器学习算法为每位用户定制个性化的学习路径。这种个性化不仅体现在学习内容的适配上,

也体现在学习挑战的难度调整和复习周期的安排上。通过这种方式,每个用户都能在适合自己的节奏和难度下进行学习,从而最大化学习效果。

多邻国利用数据不仅优化学习内容,也致力于提升用户体验。通过对用户互动、应用性能数据的分析,多邻国能够及时发现并解决潜在的用户界面问题或技术故障,确保用户体验的流畅性。此外,对用户反馈的数据分析使得多邻国能够更加贴近用户需求,不断改进和创新其服务。


数据优化用户体验

多邻国利用数据不仅优化学习内容,也致力于提升用户体验。通过对用户互动、应用性能数据的分析,多邻国能够及时发现并解决潜在的用户界面问题或技术故障,确保用户体验的流畅性。此外,对用户反馈的数据分析使得多邻国能够更加贴近用户需求,不断改进和创新其服务

数据支撑决策制:

在商业决策方面,数据的作用同样不可小

觑。多邻国通过市场数据、用户增长数据以及用户参与度数据来指导其市场策略和产品开发方向。这些数据帮助多邻国理解市场趋势,评估新功能的潜力,并在各个市场中做出有针对性的推广和优化。


持续的A/B测试:

多邻国广泛运用A/B测试来验证新功能、课程内容以及教学方法的有效性。通过将用户随机分配到测试组和控制组,多邻国能够准确

评估各种改变对用户学习成果和应用使用行为的实际影响。这种基于实验证据的方法确保了每一次更新和改进都能带来实际的好处。


数据在多邻国的运营和发展中起到了引领作用,它不仅帮助平台实现了教学内容和方法的持续优化,也确保了用户体验的高标准。通过对数据的深入分析和应用,多邻国能够精准地捕捉到用户的需求和偏好,以数据驱动的方式不断前进,这也为其他教育科技企业提供了宝贵的借鉴。


4. Collaboration with OpenAI: Application of ChatGPT-4:

From its inception, Duolingo’s two major product lines have relied heavily on AI technology, continuously driving progress in personalized learning experiences. In the Duolingo app, the proprietary AI model “Birdbrain” can accurately grasp each user’s learning situation, intelligently match the most suitable questions and difficulty levels for users, allowing them to advance continuously in challenges and effectively enhance their motivation to learn.

The collaboration with OpenAI is particularly noteworthy. According to CEO Luis von Ahn, OpenAI’s ChatGPT provides substantial support with its large language model, generating text that mimics natural conversation by pulling data from the internet. Meanwhile, Duolingo’s “Birdbrain” focuses on using the user’s own learning data to adjust and optimize teaching content and quality, ensuring that instruction is more closely aligned with users’ actual needs.

In March 2023, Duolingo became one of the first real-world applications of GPT-4 in the educational sector, marking a significant advancement in AI technology for language learning. The launch of the Duolingo Max subscription service, a product of this collaboration, introduced three innovative features that are only available to its highest-paying tier. The rationale behind introducing these features was to simulate the effects of personal, one-on-one tutoring through the product.

1.Explain My Answer: When users answer incorrectly, the system provides detailed explanations to help them understand their mistakes, thus improving learning efficiency.
2.RolePlay: Assists users in practicing language application through simulated dialogues. This feature has been further upgraded to become more engaging—for instance, in a scenario where a user orders a sandwich, an unexpected event like a thief’s entrance may be added to make the conversation more dramatic and challenging.
3.In Lesson Coach: Provides real-time feedback during classroom learning. Before submitting answers, users can click on this feature to receive tips on how to respond more effectively, enhancing the interactivity and guidance of the learning process.

Duolingo's recent rapid growth is largely due to its ongoing application of new technologies such as AI. Utilizing large-scale models like GPT-4, Duolingo can analyze user performance and preferences in real-time to create highly customized learning paths. Additionally, AI features like natural language processing provide real-time conversational practice and instant feedback, effectively enhancing interactivity and thus boosting user engagement and retention.

Duolingo's AI plays a crucial role in the app by tailoring the difficulty of questions based on user performance. For instance, if a user's accuracy falls below 80%, they might find the questions too challenging and consider quitting; conversely, if the accuracy exceeds 80%, the tasks may seem too easy and not educational, leading to potential disengagement. To tackle this, Duolingo uses AI to ensure the difficulty of questions is just right, aiming to keep the user's success rate around 80%—challenging yet achievable. This intelligent adjustment not only improves learning efficiency but also boosts users' motivation to continue engaging with the app.

Duolingo employs an advanced AI system to determine the optimal timing and content of notifications to enhance their effectiveness. For example, Luis mentions that if a user was active on the app at 3 PM the previous day, it’s likely that sending a notification at the same time the following day will prompt a response. This strategy, which leverages user behavior patterns, is one of the significant outcomes of Duolingo’s substantial investment in AI technology.

Duolingo’s English Test (DET) deeply integrates AI technology. According to Luis von Ahn, DET has employed AI technology since its creation, and now, most questions in the test are generated by AI, followed by human review to ensure accuracy, significantly enhancing the efficiency of question generation. Additionally, DET utilizes AI for configuration management to ensure the security of the examination and effectively prevent cheating.

Duolingo also employs a “human-in-the-loop” (collaborative human-machine loop) development model in exam development, combining AI to enhance efficiency. Given the high stakes and authority of the exam, the process of question generation and proctoring does not rely solely on machines; after AI’s preliminary judgments, multiple layers of human monitoring and review are conducted to ensure the quality and fairness of the examination.

与OpenAI的合作:ChatGPT-4的应用:

多邻国的两大产品线自创立之初就深入依赖于AI技术,不断地推动个性化学习体验的进步。在多邻国App中,通过独创的AI模型“Birdbrain”,可以精确把握每位用户的学习情况,智能匹配最适合用户的题目和难度,让用户在挑战中不断前行,有效提升学习的动力。

"多邻国"是OpenAI官网公布的首批GPT-4应用案例中为数不多的教育科技公司之一。据CEO路易斯·冯·安介绍,OpenAI的ChatGPT提供了庞大的语言模型支持,从互联网获取数据来产生类似自然对话的文本。与此同时,多邻国的“Birdbrain”则专注于利用用户自身的学习数据来调整和优化教学内容及质量,确保教学更加贴合用户的实际需要。

2023年3月,多邻国成为GPT-4在教育领域的首批实际应用案例之一,这标志着AI技术在语言学习领域的重要突破。多邻国推出的Duolingo Max订阅服务便是这一合作的成果,包含了三大创新功能(基于GPT-4开发的新功能目前只能保留在最高付费层)。多邻国推出这些功能背后的逻辑是希望通过产品实现类似于真人 1 对 1 的教学效果

1)解释我的答案(Explain My Answer):当用户回答错误时,系统会提供详细的解释,帮助他们理解错误所在,从而提高学习效率。
2)角色扮演(RolePlay):  通过模拟对话帮助用户练习语言应用。此功能还在进一步升级,变得更加有趣:比如,在订购三明治的场景中,可能会加入小偷闯入的情节,使得对话不再单调,而是充满了戏剧性和挑战。
3)课堂教练 In Lesson Coach: 旨在课堂学习过程中提供即时反馈。用户在提交答案前可以点击这一功能,获得关于如何更好回答的提示,这一点增强了学习的互动性和指导性。

多邻国近几个季度的快速增长得益于其持续利用AI等前沿技术。通过应用如GPT-4这样的大型机器学习模型,多邻国能够实时分析用户的表现和偏好,进而定制个性化的学习路径;同时,利用自然语言处理等AI技术,多邻国还提供实时对话练习和即时反馈,有效提升了交互性,从而增强用户的参与度和留存率。

多邻国的AI应用在APP中发挥着核心作用。比如,当用户的答题正确率低于80%时,他们可能会觉得题目太难而选择放弃;而正确率超过80%时,又可能觉得太轻松,感觉学不到东西,同样会考虑弃用。为了解决这个问题,多邻国用AI来确保题目的难度适中,让用户的正确率维持在一个理想的水平——大约80%,既挑战又不至于让人沮丧。这样的智能调整,不仅提升了用户的学习效率,也增强了他们的学习动力。

多邻国运用了一个非常高级的AI系统来决定何时发送通知以及发送什么内容,以增强通知的有效性。例如,根据Luis的说法,如果用户昨天下午三点使用了产品,那么今天下午三点发送通知可能也会得到回应。这种基于用户行为模式的推送策略,是多邻国投入巨资研发AI技术得到的成果之一。

多邻国的英语测试(DET)深度结合了人工智能技术。据路易斯·冯·安介绍,DET自创建伊始便采用AI技术,现在测试中的绝大多数题目都是通过AI自动生成的,随后通过人工复核来确保题目的准确性,这大大提高了出题的效率。此外,DET还利用AI进行配置管理,以确保考试的安全性并有效防止作弊行为。

多邻国还采用了“human-in-the-loop”(人机协作循环)的开发模式,在考试开发中结合AI提高效率。由于考试具有高度的权威性和关键性,因此在出题和监考过程中不会完全依赖机器,AI的预判结果后还会经过多层真人的监控和审核,以确保考试的质量和公正性。

OpenAI模型还被多邻国用于生成课程内容、教学材料,以及为部分课程中的用户写作提供反馈。

5.Excellent localization strategy

Duolingo has successfully entered over 190 countries, demonstrating an excellent localization strategy. The platform caters to the diverse language preferences of users in different regions, offering courses in languages such as Spanish, French, and German for learners in Europe and America, and English, Korean, and Japanese for users in the Asia-Pacific area. Based on these needs, Duolingo has meticulously developed targeted courses.

The teaching methods are also localized. For example, in response to Chinese users’ preference for memorizing words, Duolingo has incorporated extensive vocabulary lists and matching exercises into its English and Japanese courses. In contrast, for European and American learners, the platform primarily offers cloze tests.

Additionally, Duolingo has recognized the demand for dialect learning, launching its first Chinese dialect course in Cantonese. Over 1.2 billion people globally use Cantonese, not only in China's Guangdong and Guangxi provinces, Hong Kong, and Macau but also in parts of Southeast Asia and overseas Chinese communities. The popularity of Hong Kong's music and films further promotes the use of Cantonese. Duolingo’s Cantonese course includes practical scenarios such as asking for directions in Guangzhou, traveling in Hong Kong, and incorporates unique Cantonese phrases like “walking through the flower market” and “wishing you wealth and prosperity.”

While the current Cantonese course offerings on Duolingo are relatively limited, with only two units and 12 lessons compared to Japanese's five units and 72 lessons, learners still face challenges in achieving fluency sufficient to watch Hong Kong dramas, sing local songs, or communicate effortlessly with locals. However, this educational experiment is engaging and beneficial, allowing people to learn Cantonese for free without needing to enroll in classes or hire teachers, significantly aiding the spread of the dialect.

This approach may create a virtuous cycle, attracting more learners to study Cantonese on Duolingo, and those who complete the Cantonese courses may continue learning other languages on the platform. The introduction of Cantonese is just the beginning, potentially leading to a broader world of opportunities on Duolingo.

卓越的本地化运营策略

多邻国已成功进入全球超过190个国家,展现出卓越的本地化运营策略。针对不同国家的用户需求,多邻国提供了多样化的语种选择,例如欧美学习者偏爱学习西班牙语、法语和德语等课程,而亚太地区的用户则倾向于选择英语、韩语和日语等。基于这种需求,多邻国精心开发了相应的课程。

在教学方法上,多邻国也进行了本地化的设计。例如,针对中国用户的喜好,多邻国特别在英语和日语课程中加入了大量的单词背诵和匹配题型。而对欧美用户,则主要提供完形填空题型。

此外,多邻国也关注到方言的学习需求,首次推出了粤语课程,这是其第一个中国方言课程。全球有超过1.2亿人使用粤语,不仅在中国广东、广西、香港、澳门地区,在东南亚部分国家和海外华人社区中也广泛使用。香港的流行音乐和影视作品的流行,进一步推动了粤语的普及。多邻国在开发粤语课程时,紧贴生活实际——涉及如何在广州问路、在香港旅游等实用场景,课程中还融入了许多粤语特有的表达,如“行花街”、“恭喜发财、利是兜来”等。

尽管当前多邻国的粤语课程相对有限,只有两个单元和12个课程,与日语的五个单元和72个课程相比,学习者学完后要无障碍地观看香港剧、唱香港歌曲或与当地人自如交流还有一段距离。但这种教学尝试是生动有趣的,使人们无需参加课程或雇用教师,就能免费学习粤语,对方言的传播起到了重要作用。

这种教学方式可能会创造一个良性循环,越来越多的人通过多邻国学习粤语,而完成粤语课程的学习者也可能继续在多邻国学习其他语言。粤语在多邻国平台上只是一个开始,未来可能开辟更广阔的世界。

6. The Power of Building a Community

Duolingo has effectively harnessed the power of creating a positive learning community, making language learners feel a sense of belonging and support, which in turn has generated a strong word-of-mouth effect. This community-driven approach has not only resulted in sustained user growth but has also solidified its position in the hearts of its users.

Community Enhances Learning Motivation
Within the Duolingo community, users share their learning experiences, challenges, and successes, inspiring others to persevere in their studies, especially when they see peers overcoming obstacles and making progress. The positive feedback and encouragement from community members significantly boost learners’ motivation and confidence, an effect that traditional education systems struggle to replicate.

Community as a Resource and Support Network
The Duolingo community is more than a platform for sharing learning experiences; it’s a robust network of resources and support. Users seek help with grammatical queries, learning strategies, and resource recommendations, with experienced learners and occasional language experts providing assistance and advice. This culture of mutual aid makes the Duolingo community a valuable resource pool for learners.

Enhancing Cultural Exchange and Understanding
Users from all over the world in the Duolingo community not only share experiences related to language learning but also their cultural backgrounds. Such cultural exchanges offer users insights into the cultures behind the languages, fostering mutual understanding and respect among different cultures. Through this process, the Duolingo community acts as a bridge for global cultural exchange.

Community Drives Platform Development
User feedback and needs directly influence the iteration and improvement of Duolingo’s product. Discussions and feedback within the community are crucial channels for Duolingo to gather user opinions and requirements. By listening to the community’s voice, Duolingo continuously optimizes its platform and courses to better serve its users.

Duolingo’s success underscores the importance of building and maintaining a positive learning community for educational platforms. This community not only provides users with motivation and resources for learning but also promotes cross-cultural understanding and respect, guiding Duolingo’s continuous improvement and development. The community’s role has been indispensable in Duolingo’s growth, becoming an integral part of its success.

构建社区的力量是多邻国成功的关键因素之一。通过建立一个积极、支持性的学习社区,多邻国不仅增强了用户的学习动力,也促进了用户之间的交流和互助,这样的社区力量在多方面推动了平台的发展和用户的学习效果。

社区促进学习动力
在多邻国的社区中,用户可以分享自己的学习心得、挑战和成功,这种分享能够激励其他用户坚持学习,尤其是当看到其他人克服困难并取得进步时。社区成员之间的正面反馈和鼓励能够极大提升学习者的动力和自信,这是传统教育难以复制的社区效应。

社区作为资源和支持网络
多邻国的社区不仅仅是一个学习经验的分享平台,它还是一个强大的资源和支持网络。用户可以在社区中寻求帮助,如语法疑问、学习策略、资源推荐等,经验丰富的学习者和时而参与的语言专家经常提供帮助和建议。这种互助文化使得多邻国的社区成为了学习者宝贵的资源库。

增强文化交流和理解
多邻国社区的用户来自全球各地,他们不仅分享语言学习的经验,也分享各自的文化背景。这样的文化交流为用户提供了学习语言背后的文化知识,增进了不同文化之间的理解和尊重。在这个过程中,多邻国的社区成为了促进全球文化交流的桥梁。

社区推动平台发展
用户的反馈和需求直接影响到多邻国的产品迭代和改进。社区内的讨论和反馈是多邻国收集用户意见和需求的重要渠道。通过聆听社区的声音,多邻国能够不断优化其平台和课程,更好地服务于用户。

多邻国的成功证明了构建和维护一个积极的学习社区对于教育平台的重要性。这个社区不仅为用户提供了学习的动力和资源,也促进了跨文化的理解和尊重,同时为多邻国的持续改进和发展提供了指导。社区的力量在多邻国的发展历程中发挥了不可或缺的作用,成为其成功不可分割的一部分。

7. The Duolingo Incubator allows global users to contribute and create new language courses.

Duolingo’s popularity stems from its engaging and fun learning tools and its status as a treasure trove of languages. It offers over 40 language courses completely free of charge, ranging from major languages like English, French, and Japanese to lesser-known and endangered languages such as Welsh and Navajo. Duolingo also provides a variety of courses and exercises, making it easy for users to master skills in vocabulary, grammar, listening, and reading.

From its inception, the company implemented a key strategic initiative by harnessing the power of crowdsourced volunteers. Initially, these volunteers were involved in writing and translating a substantial amount of material for the company. Today, the form of crowdsourced labor has evolved to include volunteer forum moderators and contributors who help create courses.

Duolingo offers a wide range of language courses globally, largely due to its innovative technology application and community participation model. By launching the Duolingo Incubator, it allows global users to contribute and create new language courses, effectively expanding the variety of courses offered. The Duolingo Incubator enables rapid expansion of its course range, including less commonly taught languages and constructed languages like Klingon, by leveraging the expertise and enthusiasm of language enthusiasts worldwide.

Duolingo utilizes the strength of full-time staff and a contributor community, which includes volunteers and professional linguists, to develop courses. This internal and community-driven course development approach allows Duolingo to cover a broad spectrum of languages, including those less frequently studied. The creation of new courses involves not only generating sentences for teaching words and grammar but also considering every possible translation that learners might submit. This rigorous development process can take over nine months for most contributor teams, especially for courses introducing new scripts or complex grammatical structures.

Duolingo孵化器允许全球用户贡献和创建新的语言课程。

多邻国的魅力在于它不仅是一款充满趣味的学习工具,更像是一个语言的宝库。它完全免费,提供40多种语言的教学课程,不仅包括英语、法语、日语等主流语言,还有威尔士语、纳瓦荷语等小众和濒危语种。多邻国还提供丰富多样的课程和练习,帮助用户轻松学习掌握词汇、语法、听力和阅读等多种语言技能。

公司成立之初,采取了一个关键战略举措,即利用众包志愿者的力量。在公司初期,这些志愿者参与编写和翻译了大量材料。而现在,众包的方式已经演变为通过志愿者论坛的版主和参与课程创建的贡献者来实现。

多邻国能够在全球范围内提供丰富的语言课程,主要得益于其创新的技术应用和社区参与的模式。通过推出Duolingo孵化器,允许全球用户贡献和创建新的语言课程,有效扩展了课程种类。多邻国孵化器让多邻国能够快速扩充其课程范围,包括一些较少被教授的语言和构造语言,如克林贡语,通过利用全球语言爱好者的专业知识和热情。

多邻国利用全职员工以及贡献者社区(包括志愿者和专业语言学家)的力量来开发课程,这种内部和社区驱动的课程开发方式使多邻国能够覆盖广泛的语言,包括那些较少被学习的语言。新课程的创建不仅涉及生成用于教授单词和语法的句子,还要考虑学习者可能提交的每一个可能的翻译。这一严谨的开发过程对于大多数贡献者团队来说,特别是对于那些介绍新脚本或复杂语法结构的课程,可能需要超过九个月的时间。

 


Since entering the Chinese market in 2019, Duolingo has quickly established a unique position, with China becoming its seventh largest global market and one of the fastest-growing international markets. To cater to the diverse needs of Chinese users, Duolingo has introduced Cantonese language courses and is planning to launch advanced English courses specifically for the Chinese market.


During the third-quarter earnings call, Luis announced that Duolingo will expand into the fields of mathematics and music, launching related courses to enhance its educational product matrix. Duolingo aims to leverage its experience in language learning and AI capabilities into these new areas, a move that is expected to solidify its position as a comprehensive educational resource hub, rather than focusing solely on language.


自2019年进入中国市场后,多邻国迅速确立了其市场定位,目前已经成为全球第七大市场,且为增长最快的国际市场之一。为了更好地满足中国用户的多样化需求,多邻国特别推出了粤语课程,至 2023 年 7 月已吸引近 300 万用户。多邻国还计划推出针对中国市场的进阶英文课程。


在2023年Q3财报电话会议上, Luis 宣布将在数学和音乐课程领域进行业务扩展,上线相关课程并完善教育产品矩阵。多邻国希望将语言学习的产品经验和 AI 能力扩张至更多新领域,这一举措有望巩固多邻国作为教育资源中心的地位,而不是仅仅专注于语言。


Duolingo's story demonstrates that even the most traditional sectors can be revitalized through innovative business models, continuous technological evolution, and deep market insights. By gamifying the language learning experience, Duolingo has significantly lowered the barriers to language education while greatly enhancing user engagement, showcasing the boundless possibilities of combining technology with education.


Its most valuable contribution may lie in providing equal opportunities for language learning to users worldwide, allowing a greater diversity of languages to be widely disseminated.


After all, language acts like a key, unlocking doors to countless unknown worlds for us.


多邻国的故事告诉我们,通过创新的商业模式、持续的技术迭代以及深刻的市场理解,即便是最传统的领域也能焕发出新的活力。多邻国通过游戏化的方式重新定义了语言学习应用,这种方式大大降低了学习语言的门槛,同时也极大地激发了用户的学习热情,展示了科技与教育结合的无限可能。


它最为宝贵的价值,可能在于为全球用户提供了平等学习语言的机会,同时使更多语种有机会得到广泛传播。


语言,毕竟如同一把钥匙,能为我们开启通往无数未知世界的大门。




码字太累太卷太烧脑,喜欢请关注点赞!


欢迎转载!

戏阅荟DramaBizz
Life is a drama filled with stories, waiting to be read and understood. 人生如戏,一起阅读和领悟生命的各种剧本, 只为某一天身处其中时多一份勇气与坚韧,你并不孤单
 最新文章