All posts tagged: Duolingo

Google’s new ‘Speaking practice’ feature uses AI to help users improve their English skills

Google’s new ‘Speaking practice’ feature uses AI to help users improve their English skills

Published by skeptic

Google is testing a new “Speaking practice” feature in Search that helps users improve their conversational English skills. The company told TechCrunch that the feature is available to English learners in Argentina, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Mexico and Venezuela who have joined Search Labs, its program for users to experiment with early-stage Google Search experiences. The company says the goal of the experiment is to help improve a user’s English skills by getting them to take part in interactive language learning exercises powered by AI to help them use new words in everyday scenarios. Speaking practice builds on a feature that Google launched last October that is designed to help English learners improve their skills. While the feature launched last year allows English learners to practice speaking sentences in context and receive feedback on grammar and clarity, Speaking practice adds in the dimension of back and forth conversational practice. The feature was first spotted by an X user, who shared screenshots of the functionality in action. Speaking practice works by asking the user a conversational question …

Duolingo is hiring devs who can help it with language learning gamification

Duolingo is hiring devs who can help it with language learning gamification

Published by skeptic

Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the gaming industry’s top leaders? Learn more about GamesBeat Summit sponsorship opportunities here.  Duolingo is hiring game developers and others who can help it with language learning gamification. Bob Meese, chief business officer at Duolingo, said in an interview with GamesBeat that the company will highlight these jobs as it attends the Game Developers Conference next week. The company has dozens of openings, across all disciplines, especially engineering, design, and product. One of the key roles that the company is hiring for is creative technologist, Meese said. Meese said that making the game-like language learning application can help sharpen the skills of developers. That’s important, as more than 8,000 game developers have lost their jobs via layoffs this year. Most of the roles are in Pittsburgh or New York, as the company has an in-office work policy. “There are things happening here and it goes to what category do we fit in as a company,” said Meese, who has been at the company for eight …

Google takes aim at Duolingo with new English tutoring tool

Google takes aim at Duolingo with new English tutoring tool

Published by skeptic

Google’s gunning for Duolingo with a new Google Search feature designed to help people practice — and improve — their English skills. Rolling out over the next few days for Search on Android devices in Argentina, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Mexico and Venezuela, with more countries and languages to come in the future, the new feature will provide interactive speaking practice for language learners translating to or from English, Google said in a blog post. “Google Search is already a valuable tool for language learners, providing translations, definitions, and other resources to improve vocabulary,” reads the the post, attributed to Google Research director Christian Plagemann and product manager Katya Cox. “Now, learners translating to or from English on their Android phones will find a new English speaking practice experience with personalized feedback.” The new experience presents Search users with prompts and asks them to speak the answers using a provided vocabulary word. During each practice session, which last 3 to 5 minutes, Search gives personalized feedback — and the option to sign up for daily reminders …

Duolingo spotted developing a music learning app

Duolingo spotted developing a music learning app

Published by skeptic

Work on Duolingo’s next big app, Duolingo Music, is well on its way, according to new findings. Recent development efforts indicate the company’s upcoming app will focus on piano, drums, and sheet music lessons, as the edtech company works to again expand its product lineup beyond its flagship language learning app. The new development work was discovered by iOS developer and reverse engineer Steve Moser, who found images and code hidden inside Duolingo’s mobile apps that included images of piano keys and a drum, the branding “Duolingo Music” and various lines of code referencing music sessions, songs, and music unit reviews, among other things. Duolingo is preparing to launch their music learning feature soon. Music related images hidden in their mobile apps indicate that it will contain piano, drum, and sheet music lessons. More images below. $DUOL pic.twitter.com/egFt5Cqvea — Steve Moser (@SteveMoser) August 8, 2023 The discovery follows a March 2023 Duolingo job listing for a learning scientist who is an “expert in music education who combines both theoretical knowledge of relevant learning science research …

Duolingo is working on a music app

Duolingo is working on a music app

Published by skeptic

Duolingo, a language learning app with over 500 million users, is working on a music app, TechCrunch has learned. The Pittsburgh-based tech company currently has a small team working on a music product and is hiring a learning scientist who is an “expert in music education who combines both theoretical knowledge of relevant learning science research and hands-on teaching experience,” according to a job posting listed on Duolingo’s career page. The company also posted a job that was soliciting a freelance music composition and curricular consultant, but the company is no longer accepting applications for that position. The job listing suggests that the app will teach basic concepts in music theory using popular songs and teachers. Duolingo has slowly grown beyond language learning into several auxiliary new projects that may represent significant revenue streams in the years to come. For example, The Duolingo English Test, which spun out from a hackathon project by 2014, is an online certification exam that tests language proficiency. The company also launched Duolingo ABC during the pandemic, which is a …

Duolingo launches new subscription tier with access to AI tutor powered by GPT-4

Duolingo launches new subscription tier with access to AI tutor powered by GPT-4

Published by skeptic

Duolingo is introducing a new subscription tier with features powered by OpenAI’s new GPT-4 technology, the company announced on Tuesday. The new tier, Duolingo Max, unlocks two new AI-powered features called “Roleplay” and “Explain My Answer.” The announcement comes the same day that OpenAI released its next-generation GPT-4 AI language model. The Roleplay feature unlocks an AI chatbot that allows users to practice real world conversation skills with characters in the app. Users will be chatting with an AI that is both responsive and interactive, thanks to GPT-4. The feature guides users through different scenarios. For instance, you can pretend to order coffee at a café in Paris or discuss future vacation plans with a certain character in the app. After users are done with the conversation, they will get AI-powered feedback on the accuracy and complexity of their responses, as well as tips for future conversations. Image Credits: Duolingo Duolingo says human experts write the scenarios that users see in Roleplay, and that they make sure the initial prompt is aligned with where the …