When Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn announced in April that artificial intelligence would become central to the company’s operations, it sent shockwaves through his workforce. A memo posted on LinkedIn outlined how AI would replace contract workers, influence performance reviews, and become a hiring filter—new employees would only be added if the work couldn’t be automated.
The response was swift and furious, with many users criticising Duolingo’s shift and threatening to quit the app. Some argued that language learning needs a human touch, not machine-generated translations. Three weeks later, von Ahn clarified that AI was not replacing people but accelerating work, the Washington Post reported.
Tech firms push employees to adopt AI—or risk falling behind
Other companies are adopting similarly aggressive AI-first policies. Meta has begun using AI for product privacy risk assessments. Shopify now expects every employee to use AI in their daily work, including in prototyping and performance reviews. CEO Tobi Lütke made it clear in a memo that the company would only approve new hires if teams could prove the task couldn’t be done by AI. He declared: “AI will totally change Shopify, our work, and the rest of our lives.”
Zapier co-founder Wade Foster went further, stating that 100% of new hires must be fluent in AI. And at Fiverr, CEO Micha Kaufman warned employees that AI could soon replace their roles. He urged staff to become proficient in AI tools, automate their jobs, and focus only on work that machines can’t replicate—like creativity and human judgment.
AI enters hiring, workflows and reviews
In some companies, AI has already become part of job interviews. At Google, engineering candidates are expected to use AI tools to solve coding problems. At Box, CEO Aaron Levie noted that his company is training workers in AI as a way to eliminate repetitive tasks and improve productivity. He called this the “final generation” of engineers who could enter the workforce without AI coding expertise.
At Duolingo, Chief Engineering Officer Natalie Glance advised her team to default to AI tools for all problems and to dedicate 10% of their time to learning AI. Expectations around productivity have risen accordingly.
Not everyone is convinced
Some experts and industry observers say this rush toward AI-first strategies could have unintended consequences. Critics argue that over-reliance on AI could lead to poorer service quality, loss of jobs, and even serious errors. “AI first = Employees last,” said one entrepreneur in response to Shopify’s approach.
Others warn that adopting AI without adjusting company structures or workflows will only frustrate workers. Emily Rose McRae of Gartner cautioned that many companies might fail to see returns on AI investments because they aren't integrating the tools thoughtfully.
Klarna learns AI’s limits
Swedish fintech company Klarna is one of the few firms to pull back after leaning heavily into AI. Between 2022 and 2024, it reduced its workforce by 38%, claiming its AI assistant could handle the work of 800 full-time employees. But CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski later admitted the company had overreached. Klarna now plans to hire more gig workers, acknowledging that AI has limits, especially when dealing with complex customer service tasks.
The future: AI everywhere, even if invisible
As generative AI becomes embedded in everyday tools—from email to spreadsheets—many workers may start using AI without realizing it. But for now, the shift is stark, and many firms are setting strict expectations. According to McRae, “Everyone needs to understand that the tools we’re using are new and our understanding of them will change.”
For workers, it means one thing: adapting to AI is no longer optional—it’s essential. But how companies implement it may determine whether employees thrive or burn out.
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