How to make learning as addictive as social media | Luis von Ahn

Educational equity technologist Luis von Ahn leverages mobile technology to democratize learning by transforming the educational experience into an engaging, game-like process. By applying psychological mechanisms—such as streaks and AI-driven notifications—Duolingo successfully competes with addictive social media platforms for user attention. This approach relies on a freemium model where subscriptions from users in wealthier nations subsidize free access for learners globally, effectively redistributing resources to provide equitable education. With over 3 million daily active users maintaining streaks longer than a year, the platform demonstrates that gamification can sustain long-term commitment to learning. Beyond language acquisition, these methods hold significant potential for other subjects that rely on repetition, such as mathematics and physics, offering a path toward making high-quality, accessible education a reality for everyone regardless of socioeconomic status.