Duolingo is emerging as a key example of AI's growing impact on employment, having recently announced plans to become an "AI-first" company by replacing contractors with artificial intelligence. Journalist Brian Merchant highlights the company's significant workforce reductions, cutting approximately 10% of contractors in late 2023, primarily replacing translators and writers with AI technologies. This trend reflects broader concerns about AI potentially displacing entry-level white-collar jobs and consolidating organizational control through cost-cutting measures.