Duolingo Expands Mandarin AI Feature as TikTok Users Shift to REDNote

Published at: January 18, 2025 5:46 AM

Updated at: January 18, 2025 5:54 AM

With TikTok facing the possibility of being banned in the United States, more than 700 million users have turned to REDNote, a Chinese video-sharing app similar to TikTok. Some content creators have also joined platforms like Lemon8, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels, all of which feature a similar vertical video format.

REDNote has quickly risen to the top of the Apple App Store, but it still faces challenges. A significant portion of its interface is in Mandarin, and most content comes from Chinese users, although there are a few exceptions.

In response to this shift, Duolingo announced the launch of a new AI-powered video calling feature for Android phones designed to help users learn Mandarin. The app revealed a 216% growth in new Mandarin learners in the United States, partly due to users wanting to be able to navigate REDNote.

This new feature lets users have realistic, interactive conversations with Lily, one of Duolingo's most popular characters. It adjusts to the user's language level, creating a personalized experience. While AI video calls were initially available only on iOS and a few Android devices, they are now accessible to all users on both platforms. Users can learn languages such as English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, and Italian, with plans to add Japanese and Korean soon.

Duolingo's iOS app is also getting upgrades. Lily will be more engaging and will call users regularly to encourage consistent practice. Apple users will also get access to video call transcripts. However, this feature is currently available only to Duolingo Max subscribers.