There are times to focus, and there are times to explore.

Focus is the right strategy when you have relatively high certainty you're doing the right thing. Exploration is the right strategy when you are uncertain about the right thing.

Using the wrong strategy can be your downfall.

It’s like discovering a new continent. When you arrive, you know nothing. It would be a mistake to eat the first fruit you find and only focus on that. In fact, the fruit may be poisonous. Instead, go find what else is out there first.

I think that's where we are all at right now, regarding AI. No one has the answers right now, and we have to explore and try new things before doubling down.

Specifically to Duolingo, for years, we were laser-focused. While competitors tried to teach everything, we taught just a handful of languages—but we taught them better and more engagingly than anyone else.

That focus worked because we had high certainty about language learning.

But today? AI and other tools have created lots of new opportunities and challenges. The right strategy isn't focus—it's exploration. Try a lot of things before doubling down.

There's a time to be focused and a time to explore.The key is knowing which one you're in.