Google, or Duolingo?

More like speak no evil: Google this week released a trio of AI-enhanced tools aimed at helping people learn to speak a new language in a more personalized way.

1. Tiny Lesson, which helps users quickly learn specific phrases they need in the moment. After a user describes a situation they’re in, Gemini helps them learn vocabulary and grammar to describe a problem to locals.
2. Slang Hang, which helps users sound less formal and more like a local by teaching them how to lose the formalities and adopt a more colloquial way of speaking.
3. Word Cam, where users can pull out their cameras to learn new words based on their surroundings, with Gemini detecting objects in the photos.

Google says that the idea behind these tools is to test how AI can be used to make independent learning more dynamic and personalized by promoting custom, bite-sized lessons on the go.

How the turned tables: While Google is taking aim at Duolingo, the language app is trying its best to emulate larger tech giants. The company with an unhinged owl as its mascot this week announced plans to become “AI-first,” which CEO Luis von Ahn says will involve phasing out contractors that can be replaced with AI, only hiring new workers if AI can’t do their job, and looking for AI use in performance reviews and hiring.