Duolingo brings adventure and AI to your language learning journey
Duolingo, a CNET Editors’ Choice Award pick, was announced Tuesday during the virtual meeting Duocon conference that it is today introducing two new features for its language learning app: Adventures and AI video calling.
“Our mission is to develop the world’s best education and make it universally available,” said Luis von Ahn, co-founder and CEO of Duolingo, in a press release. “These innovations are just the beginning of how we’re using technology to better serve our global community of learners.”
Here’s what you need to know about these two new Duolingo features.
Adventures
Duolingo is expanding its lessons with a new game-like element called Adventures. In Adventures, you can explore environments and storylines within the Duolingo universe that follow Duolingo characters like Lily and Oscar. Adventures also lets you apply your language learning to real-world situations, like ordering at a cafe.
There is only one Adventure available per course unit, and they are only available to English speakers learning French, and Spanish speakers learning English. Adventures are available on iOS and Android devices.
AI video calling
This new language feature allows you to practice your conversation skills in a realistic environment.
“Video Call is designed to simulate natural dialogue and provides a personalized, interactive practice environment,” Duolingo wrote in a new release.
In these video calls, you’ll be talking to the character Lily in real time, so you’ll have to put everything you’ve learned in your language lessons into practice. But Duolingo wrote that hopefully, conversing in this low-pressure environment will help people build their confidence to converse in real-life situations.
However, this feature is only available to Duolingo Max iOS subscribers, which $30 per month or $168 per year. AI video calling is also only available to subscribers of any language who are learning English, Spanish or French. Duolingo said in an email that the feature is coming to Portuguese, Italian and German lessons soon.
Anything else from Duocon?
Duolingo also announced a new partnership with portable instrument manufacturer Loog to create a three-octave electric piano. Designed for the Duolingo Music course, this piano can pre-order now for $250 from the Duolingo Store.
For more on Duolingo, here’s how well the free version of the app prepared me for a trip to Italy and our review of the language learning app . You can also check out our best language learning apps.
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