Luis Von Ahn details the story behind Duolingo and its famous owl, how to do handle marketing in the TikTok era, hiring young talent, and using addictive habits for good.

Chapters 

00:00:00 Intro & The Owl 

00:02:35 Unhinged Marketing 

00:06:09 TikTok Era 

00:08:06 Owl As the Face + Approving Risky Posts 

00:10:31 Hiring New Grads and “No Assholes” 

00:14:29 Making Learning Feel Delightful 

00:16:57 Addictive Habit Loops 

00:18:38 Expanding Beyond Languages 

00:19:26 Guatemala Roots + Free Education Mission 

00:23:40 AI 

00:31:00 Impact 

00:36:58 What's Next for Duolingo? 

🔗 FOLLOW US 

https://www.instagram.com/phoebegates 

https://www.instagram.com/sophiakianni 

https://www.instagram.com/duolingo 

🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTS 

https://www.instagram.com/theburnouts 

https://www.tiktok.com/@theburnouts 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-burnouts 

📲 Support What We’re Building 

Phoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app and help us grow → https://www.phia.com 

About The Burnouts The Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, athletes, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond the headlines to reveal the real stories behind ambitious careers. 

Past guests include Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and more. 

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