Duolingo Launches New AI-Powered Subscription Tier

Duolingo rolled out a new subscription plan on Tuesday that uses artificial intelligence to power a fresh set of tutoring features. In a blog post, the language-learning company said it's partnered with OpenAI to use GPT-4, the latest version of AI technology behind the popular ChatGPT service. Called Duolingo Max, the premium tier grants access to everything in the Super Duolingo subscription but includes two new features: Explain My Answer and Roleplay.

Explain My Answer aims to give users more insight during a lesson by enabling them to "enter a chat with Duo to get a simple explanation on why their answer was right or wrong, and ask for examples or further clarification," the company said. Roleplay provides an interactive conversation that allows you to chat with an AI character in guided scenarios. Duolingo says each conversation is different on the platform, and users receive feedback and advice on their replies. 

The company said that humans provide oversight on the answers generated in Roleplay and Explain My Answer, and they write the hypothetical scenarios for Roleplay. Duolingo also encourages its learners to report any bugs or mistakes they encounter while using the new features.   

Duolingo Max is available to English-speaking learners in the US who are taking courses in Spanish or French on iOS. The cost is $30 per month or $168 a year, and you can find it by clicking on the Shop tab in the app. Duolingo aims to expand the features to more platforms and language courses in the future.