What do you do when the thing that’s supposed to make your life easier… takes your job?

That’s the question thousands of learning content contractors may be asking themselves last week, after Duolingo announced it will begin replacing contractor roles with AI. The news came straight from CEO Luis von Ahn, who declared the company is going “AI-first”. From now on, contractors will be phased out if their work can be automated. AI proficiency will factor into both hiring and performance reviews.

And just like that, the tides have turned.

But here’s the truth: every technological revolution comes with waves. And when the tide rises, you have two choices. You either learn to ride it or risk getting swept out to sea.

Why Duolingo’s Announcement Matters

This isn’t just another tech company chasing headlines. Duolingo has grown rapidly since going public, scaling from under two million to over eight million paying users in just a few years. The company’s drive to automate content creation using AI is not about gimmicks. It’s about scale, speed and cost.

Von Ahn even admitted that Duolingo is prepared to take “occasional small hits on quality” if it means they can move faster and stay ahead.

They are not alone. Shopify and Uber have made similar announcements, placing AI at the centre of how they operate. The message is clear: AI isn’t coming. It’s here. And it's already reshaping the world of work.

The Computer Revolution, All Over Again

If this all feels a bit overwhelming, let’s rewind.

Go back 35 years. Computers were starting to appear in offices. Some saw them as time-saving tools. Others saw them as threats. Secretaries, typists, and entire admin teams worried about job security. And yes, many jobs were lost or transformed. But new roles were born too. Data analysts, IT managers, software developers, digital marketers — these didn’t exist until someone needed to make sense of the new tools.

AI is our generation’s version of that shift. But here’s the thing, we didn’t stop needing people just because we had computers. And we won’t stop needing people because we have AI.

We need humans to use AI. To train it, guide it, challenge it, and apply it to real-world problems.

So… What Should L&D Leaders Do?

Now is the moment for Learning and Development to shine. Because as AI changes what work looks like, L&D can help change how people prepare for it.

Here are five things you can start doing today:

1. Upskill for AI Collaboration, Not Competition

AI is not a colleague you have to outsmart. It’s a tool you need to understand. Focus your learning content development on helping teams learn how to prompt, interpret and validate AI outputs. This is the digital literacy of the next decade.

2. Embed AI in Leadership Development

Senior leaders need more than strategy decks. They need practical, ethical, and creative fluency with AI tools. How do they make decisions with AI? How do they lead teams through tech disruption? Leadership Development Programs need to cover this now.

3. Review Your Learning Strategy Through an AI Lens

Revisit your Learning Needs Analysis. Which skills are at risk of automation? Which ones become more valuable because of it? AI won’t replace empathy, communication, storytelling, or innovation. But it will reshape how they are applied.

4. Pilot AI-Enhanced Learning Tools

Use AI to boost your own delivery. Try using generative AI for microlearning development, design branching scenarios for interactive eLearning, or analyse learner data faster. Start small, measure impact and scale smart.

5. Make the Case to the Board

AI isn’t a future risk. It’s a present opportunity. But you’ll need investment to make the shift. Use our recent guide on How to Create a Business Case for L&D That Gets a 'Yes' to speak the board’s language and secure budget.

Final Thought: AI Didn’t Steal Your Job. Ignoring It Might

Let’s be clear. Jobs will change. Some will disappear. But many more will evolve. The question isn’t whether AI will reshape your role. The question is whether you’ll reshape yourself alongside it.

At Popcorn, we believe the best way to respond to disruption is with design. Design learning that prepares people for change. Design digital learning solutions that empower, not replace. And design corporate training that’s built for the future, not the past.

The tide is coming in. You can’t stop it. But you can grab a board, paddle out and ride the wave.