Language learning can encourage openness and connect people across cultures, said Stephen Chao-An Chen, general counsel of Duolingo, at the 2026 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit.
Describing the company's mission to make high-quality education universally accessible, Chen said its services reach 140 million people worldwide each month. He cited people learning French in China and Chinese in France as examples of the connections language learning creates.
Chen also highlighted engagement as a key to educational success. Characters such as Duo and Lily, alongside brand collaborations in China, help make learning appealing and encourage people to keep returning.
