Latest news with #Duolingo
The Hindu
a day ago
- Business
- The Hindu
USD offers online Master's degrees in AI, Data Science, and Cybersecurity for Indian professionals
The University of San Diego (USD) has introduced a suite of online, industry-aligned Master's degree programs in technology, specifically for working professionals in India. These programs are identical to the on-campus offerings in the U.S. and confer the same U.S.-accredited degree upon completion. The online programs include: MS in Applied Artificial Intelligence, MS in Applied Data Science, MS in Cyber Security Engineering, and MS in Cyber Security Operations and Leadership. Each program is delivered asynchronously over 20 months, allowing students to study without pausing their careers. Students have the option to participate in a two-week on-campus immersion in the U.S. and gain access to USD's alumni network. Mentorship opportunities are available through former students working in leading organisations. Masterclasses led by global industry leaders in AI, Data Science, and Cybersecurity are also part of the offering. GradRight has been appointed as the official outreach and student access partner in India. It provides end-to-end admission guidance and support for prospective students. The total cost of the program is approximately ₹10.49 lakhs, with scholarships available to eligible candidates to increase affordability. Admission for the Fall 2025 intake is open until August 1, 2025, with classes beginning on September 2, 2025. The medium of instruction is English. Applicants must demonstrate English proficiency through an IELTS score of 7, a Duolingo score of 120, or proof of two years of study in English. Candidates must hold either a four-year degree with at least a Second Division or a three-year degree with a First Division to be eligible.
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
Why The Best Marketing In 2025 Is Data-Driven
Brandon Mina, CEO of BrandPilot AI (CSE: BPAI | OTCQB: BPAIF). For decades, marketing was ruled by instinct. You hired a charismatic creative director, let them dream up a campaign and hoped it would resonate. But hope isn't a strategy in 2025. The best marketing isn't left to gut feelings—it's fueled by data. Every major brand breakthrough of the last five years shares one common denominator: data-powered insights that turn marketing into a science, not a gamble. From Netflix revolutionizing sports fandom to Duolingo using machine learning (ML) to craft ads, the brands that win today aren't the ones making the loudest noise—they're the ones listening the hardest. What's most fascinating about Drive to Survive, the Netflix show about Formula 1, isn't just that it boosted F1 viewership in the U.S.—it's that it did so by turning data into drama. Netflix didn't market the sport—they marketed the characters because their engagement data told them what most brands still miss: emotion converts. As someone building AI tools for marketers, this is a masterclass in turning behavioral insight into mass adoption. Spotify Wrapped taught us that data can be deeply personal. Wrapped isn't a campaign—it's a ritual. It transforms back-end analytics into front-stage identity. The big takeaway? In 2025, personalization isn't a luxury—it's the expectation. In our own business-to-business (B2B) campaigns, when we mirror a buyer's context—language, key performance indicators (KPIs), even memes—we see a two to three times performance lift, no extra budget needed. And then there's Duolingo (Duo): a case study in calculated chaos. The Duo owl isn't just a mascot—it's a media entity that manufactures cultural currency and blends brand irreverence with serious machine learning under the hood. What appears to be random is actually data-optimized character content. Behind the memes and mayhem are real-time ad feedback loops, creative versioning and retention-driven bidding models. What makes Duolingo brilliant isn't just its humor—it's its cultural fluency. The team tracks trends in real time and lets Duo engage in internet culture as a character, even if it means being unhinged. A decentralized social team keeps Duo fast, human and unmistakably alive online. These aren't just fun campaigns—they're proof that data and narrative are the new creative brief. In 2025, great marketing doesn't start with a brainstorm. It starts with behavior. These aren't flukes. They're signals. If you're not combining cultural awareness with machine learning, you're not behind—you're invisible. Data doesn't kill creativity. It rescues it from randomness—and gives it reach. How Netflix Used Data To Revive An Entire Sport Formula 1 used to be a niche sport in the U.S.—an aging European pastime followed by gearheads and legacy fans. Then Netflix launched Drive to Survive, and everything changed. Netflix didn't just guess that a behind-the-scenes docuseries would work. It used mountains of viewer data to shape the storytelling: • Eighty percent of Netflix's audience had never watched an F1 race before—Netflix focused on character-driven rivalries because emotional storytelling increases audience retention by 40%. • F1's U.S. female viewership jumped from 8% in 2017 to 40% in 2024, turning casual Netflix viewers into hardcore fans and F1 fans into a significantly more culturally diverse fan base. • The U.S. Grand Prix in Austin doubled ticket sales after Drive to Survive aired, proving that entertainment-driven marketing creates new fan bases. • F1's global revenue surged to $2.6 billion in 2023, up from $1.8 billion in 2018, demonstrating how data-backed content can drive financial growth. This wasn't a marketing accident. It was a data-backed content strategy that transformed a dusty sport into an entertainment powerhouse. Spotify Wrapped: The Gold Standard Of Personalized Marketing Spotify Wrapped isn't just a fun end-of-year feature—it's a masterclass in data-driven marketing. Every year, Spotify takes user listening data and turns it into hyper-personalized, shareable content. The results speak for themselves: • Wrapped drives a 40% increase in social media engagement (registration required) for Spotify every December. • The campaign generates billions of organic impressions, with celebrities and brands joining the made for sharing campaign. • Personalized marketing like Wrapped boosts app downloads by 21% in the first week of December each year because people love seeing their habits reflected back at them. Again, this wasn't a lucky branding moment. It was data-driven storytelling, proving that the best marketing today is built on AI-powered insights. Duolingo: Chaos Engineered By Data In February 2025, Duolingo launched its 'Duo is dead' campaign—outright claiming the mascot died in every region except Japan—a stunt that hijacked conversation from even Super Bowl ads, generating social media mentions that dwarfed most big-game ads. Duolingo's irreverent owl may look like comic relief, but their campaigns are fueled by machine learning and cultural analysis. • Duolingo tracks social comments and trends—and tests creative hourly—with its global social team using live performance data to decide which version of content goes live—often favoring the most absurd option that scores highest engagement. • With TikTok under threat in the U.S., Duolingo pivoted to YouTube Shorts and saw viewership surge 430%; in Q1 2025 alone, Shorts content drove over 300 million impressions, revealing precise cross-platform optimization. Behind the memes, an ML-powered infrastructure—including ad surfacing logic, retention models and creative versioning—automatically selects high-performing content in real time to maximize both engagement and downloads. Duolingo isn't just playing with culture—it's engineering it, one data-backed post at a time. This is chaos, calculated. The Fall Of Gut-Feel Marketing And The Rise Of Data-Driven Creativity In 2025, the best marketers are data analysts first and creatives second. They're the ones who: • Let algorithms guide creative decisions, like Netflix shaping Drive to Survive. • Use AI to optimize engagement, like Duolingo, unlocking revenue with machine learning. • Leverage personal data to fuel viral campaigns, like Spotify Wrapped turning music habits into a cultural moment. The brands that don't embrace this shift? They'll keep guessing while their competitors continue to win. Gut instinct had a good run, but data is now the world's greatest marketing weapon. The question isn't whether your brand should embrace it—it's whether you can afford not to. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- Indian Express
University of San Diego launches 2-year online master's programmes for Indian professionals
The University of San Diego (USD) has launched a suite of online master's degree programmes designed 'specifically for working professionals in India.' These 100 per cent online courses are focused on key technology sectors and including MS in Applied Artificial Intelligence, MS in Applied Data Science, MS in Cyber Security Engineering, and MS in Cyber Security Operations and Leadership. Australia hikes student visa fee to AUD 2,000: List of major study abroad destinations, their visa costs According to the university, these courses were earlier available only to students in the United States but are now being offered to learners in India for the first time. The programmes are fully online and asynchronous, allowing students to complete the 20-month degree at their own pace without attending live classes. The statement notes that GradRight has been appointed as the outreach and student access partner for the programme in India, and will guide prospective students through the admissions process and offer support throughout the course duration. Harvard advises international students to avoid Boston Logan airport amid heightened US border scrutiny: Report The structure allows students to complete coursework at their own pace while meeting clearly defined weekly milestones. These are full-stack master's degrees from the University of San Diego, equivalent in academic content and credential to their on-campus counterparts, according to a statement from the university. The curriculum is developed by academic experts with industry experience and is reviewed annually to ensure alignment with current real-world challenges and technological advancements. The degrees are delivered in English, with proof of proficiency required through IELTS (score of 7), Duolingo (score of 120), or two years of prior education in English. Ontario colleges slash 10,000 jobs as international enrolment plummets in Canada after study permit cap An optional two-week on-campus immersion in the US is also available to students, offering opportunities for face-to-face engagement and networking. Admissions are now open for the Fall 2025 intake, with an application deadline of August 1. Classes begin on September 2, 2025. Applicants must hold either a 4-year undergraduate degree with at least a second division, or a 3-year degree with first division. The total cost of the programme is approximately Rs 10.49 lakh. USD is offering scholarships to eligible students in India to increase access to these courses. Financial aid aims to reduce barriers for high-potential candidates seeking to build skills in emerging technology fields.
Business Journals
2 days ago
- Business Journals
Smarter machines, weaker minds? Rethinking higher education in the AI era
As artificial intelligence transforms the way students learn, write, and interact with information, we must ask not just how higher education is evolving—but why it exists at all. The AI Tipping Point in Education Remember the days of #2 pencils, scantrons, and pushing through writer's block to finish an essay? Those sweet, frustratingly human experiences are quickly becoming relics. With AI sweeping through every corner of modern life, students are turning to tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity not just for complex writing assignments, but even for basic tasks—like 'how to rephrase the dog ate my homework' or 'how to ask for an extension without sounding like I'm lying'—often outsourcing the process of creative thinking entirely. What used to be the hallmark of academic rigor is now done in seconds with a well-engineered prompt. Even leaders in education technology are leaning into this transformation. Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn remarked that AI is a better teacher than humans, but that schools will still exist 'because you'll need childcare.' (Imagine having Duo the Owl as your babysitter.) But this isn't just a new set of tools—it's a fundamental redefinition of the educational experience. And as universities race to integrate AI into classrooms, families must pause and ask: What is higher education actually preparing students for—and what is it leaving behind? The Human Element: What AI Can't Replace I'll never forget my seventh-grade English teacher, the first adult at school who saw potential in me after I immigrated to the U.S. without speaking English. She awarded me the monthly 'Smarties Award' for effort. It was a simple gesture, but it changed my relationship with learning. I'm equally grateful to my ninth-grade math teacher, who invited me to tutor a peer. Her improvement from D's to A's on exams in just three sessions inspired me to create a peer tutoring group, which grew to serve over 100 students in a year. These moments of recognition helped propel me from a struggling ESL student to an Ivy League graduate. We all carry stories like this—moments when a teacher sparked curiosity, stayed after school to help us grasp a difficult concept, or introduced us to a path we didn't know existed. These interactions are foundational to the human learning experience, ones that no chatbot can replace. On Critical Thinking We may be living in the most information-rich era in history, but we're also facing a deepening crisis of cognition. One student put it bluntly: 'I spend hours and hours on TikTok until my eyes hurt. ChatGPT lets me write an essay in two hours that normally takes twelve.' Platforms meant to assist are becoming crutches—and in some cases, full-on substitutes—for cognitive engagement. Recent research from MIT's Media Lab reinforces this concern. In a study titled Your Brain on ChatGPT, researchers found that participants who relied on large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT to write essays exhibited significantly weaker brain connectivity compared to those who wrote without AI tools. EEG data showed reduced activity in key regions related to memory, focus, and critical thinking. Over time, those who depended on AI not only produced lower-quality work but also reported less ownership over their ideas and struggled to recall what they had written. There's nothing wrong with using tools like ChatGPT to support our learning. But if we're using it to bypass thinking altogether, we're missing the point. Writing is thinking. It slows down the mind. It forces us to clarify, reflect, and translate complex ideas into language. It's uncomfortable. But discomfort is often where the most powerful learning happens. The Foundational Lesson We Forget to Teach In my senior spring at Dartmouth College, the 19th year of my schooling journey, an education course introduced me to an article that shifted my entire mindset around education. In "The Purpose of Education" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he remarks, 'Education must enable a man to become more efficient... to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false... to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society... Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.' Efficiency without intention is dangerous. Yet throughout our educational journeys, we're taught to chase metrics—grades, trophies, test scores—without ever being asked to define what we're learning for. It's no wonder so many of my peers, especially fellow Ivy League graduates, find themselves grappling with post-college disorientation, burnout, and the so-called quarter-life crisis. This is why a liberal arts foundation matters more than ever. In a world obsessed with speed and metrics, we need students who can slow down, think critically, and live intentionally—not just perform well. A Call to Parents, Educators, and Students The stakes are high. If we want our children to thrive in a world shaped by artificial intelligence, we must give them more than credentials. We must help them cultivate character, intellectual independence, and a sense of purpose that outlasts any trend or tool. My hope is that every student, regardless of background, is empowered to become a lifelong learner—not just for college admissions or job placement, but to better understand themselves and the world around them. To think critically, act independently, and boldly challenge their own assumptions. Because while passions evolve and careers shift, one thing remains true: No matter how far technology advances, the most powerful tool we have is still a mind that dares to ask why. Rosy Zhong is an educator and youth mentor based in Seattle. A Dartmouth graduate with over a decade of experience in education, she helps students cultivate confidence, clarity, and purpose—both in and beyond the college admissions process. Her approach integrates academic excellence with personal growth, guiding students to develop self-awareness, critical thinking, and independence. Born in rural China and raised in the U.S., Rosy brings a cross-cultural lens to her work and a deep belief in education as a lifelong tool for self-discovery. Rather than focusing solely on college applications, she mentors students as they navigate school, identity, and long-term direction. She believes that when students are grounded in who they are, college and career success follow—not as the destination, but as a natural result of their growth. To work together, visit or email .
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Duolingo Set For Q2 Bookings Beat, Guidance Likely Conservative
Duolingo shares have tumbled 24% in the past month amid concerns over slowing growth and rising churn, despite strong global brand momentum. The company will announce its results for the second quarter ending June 30, following the close of the U.S. market on Wednesday, August 6. Against this backdrop of heightened investor caution and mixed sentiment around engagement trends, JP Morgan analyst Bryan M. Smilek reiterated the Overweight rating on Duolingo, Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL), lowering the price forecast from $580 to $ analyst cautions that some investors suspect that negative chatter on social media about Duolingo's AI-first strategy could be dampening engagement. While that may have briefly impacted virality in the U.S., Smilek emphasizes that Duolingo's brand remains strong, with about 90% of user growth historically being organic. Smilek notes that Duolingo shares have fallen 30% since their May 14 peak, underperforming the S&P 500's 6% gain. This drop is largely tied to concerns stemming from third-party data pointing to a sharper-than-expected slowdown in user and subscription bookings growth, along with rising churn in Duolingo Max. U.S.-based concerns likely have limited global impact, and the company's social media metrics are steady, with TikTok followers even beginning to rise again. Given these trends, investors are likely hoping for second quarter DAU growth between 40% to 42%, near the low end of management's 40 to 45% guidance, and third quarter growth of 37% to 39%, indicating stabilization. Smilek has trimmed DAU forecasts by roughly 1-4% across the second quarter to fourth quarter, now projecting 42% growth in the second quarter, 39% in the third quarter, and 40% in the fourth quarter. Still, the analyst's bullish view remains intact, citing Duolingo's leadership in a largely untapped global market, its 130 million monthly active users represent just 18% of the online language learning market and only 7% of all language learners. Over the medium term, Smilek expects growth to be driven by new products, increased gross additions, returning users, marketing, and better content and outcomes. Smilek projects Duolingo's adjusted EBITDA margins to improve significantly in the second half of the year, driven by AI-related cost savings. For 2025, he models year-over-year operating leverage across all non-GAAP expense categories. The analyst projects bookings growth of 31% year-over-year on a constant currency basis (versus the company's 29.8%–30.9% guidance), with adjusted EBITDA margins reaching 28.3%, up 266 basis points year-over-year and near the top end of the 27.5%–28.5% guidance range. The forecast reflects a combination of factors, including monetization from Duolingo Max, higher pricing and conversions for Super, increasing Family Plan adoption (currently under 25% of subs), and favorable currency effects. Based on these trends, Smilek anticipates Duolingo's second-quarter results will land at the high end of the company's guidance. He also expects Duolingo to raise its full-year outlook for both bookings and adjusted EBITDA, noting that the guidance could prove conservative. Price Action: DUOL shares are trading lower by 0.41% to $359.87 at last check Thursday. Read Next:Photo by DANIEL CONSTANTE via Shutterstock Latest Ratings for DUOL Date Firm Action From To Mar 2022 Evercore ISI Group Maintains Outperform Mar 2022 Piper Sandler Maintains Overweight Jan 2022 Piper Sandler Maintains Overweight View More Analyst Ratings for DUOL View the Latest Analyst Ratings UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article Duolingo Set For Q2 Bookings Beat, Guidance Likely Conservative originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
