Online courseware providers face risk from generative AI software

  • Goldman Sachs analyst warns of threat from AI to online courseware providers
  • Chegg, Coursera, and Duolingo stocks drop in response
  • Coursera down 11%, Chegg down 3.3%, Duolingo down 3.5%
  • Chegg plans to implement AI features in response to competition
  • Duolingo stock tripled in 2023 after adding AI features
  • Fiverr shares rise after analyst upgrades rating
  • ZipRecruiter rating downgraded due to short-term headwinds

Goldman Sachs analyst Eric Sheridan has issued a warning about the threat posed by generative artificial intelligence (AI) software to online courseware providers such as Chegg, Coursera, and Duolingo. As a result, Sheridan downgraded his ratings on all three stocks to Sell from Neutral, causing their prices to drop. Chegg, which has been facing competition from free AI chatbots, plans to implement AI features in response. In contrast, Duolingo, which added new AI features to its language-learning software, saw its stock triple in 2023. Meanwhile, Sheridan upgraded his rating on Fiverr shares, anticipating better times for the freelance marketplace driven by AI initiatives. However, he downgraded ZipRecruiter due to short-term headwinds.

Public Companies: Chegg (CHGG), Duolingo (DUOL), Coursera (COUR), Fiverr (FVRR), ZipRecruiter (ZIP)
Private Companies:
Key People: Eric Sheridan (Goldman Sachs analyst)


Factuality Level: 6
Justification: The article provides information about the potential risks posed by generative AI software tools to online courseware providers like Chegg, Coursera, and Duolingo. It mentions the analyst’s ratings downgrade on the stocks and the subsequent drop in their prices. The article also includes information about the response of the companies and their stock performance in the past. However, it lacks specific details about the AI software tools and their potential impact, and it does not provide any expert opinions or additional sources to support the claims made by the analyst. Overall, the article provides some factual information but could benefit from more depth and context.

Noise Level: 3
Justification: The article provides relevant information about the potential risks of generative AI software tools to online courseware providers. It includes the analyst’s ratings on specific stocks and their performance. However, the article lacks in-depth analysis, evidence, and actionable insights. It also includes unrelated information about other stocks and their ratings, which is not directly relevant to the main topic.

Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: Providers of online courseware like Chegg, Coursera, and Duolingo

Presence of Extreme Event: No
Nature of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating of the Extreme Event: No
Justification: The article discusses the risk posed by generative artificial intelligence software tools to providers of online courseware. The analyst downgraded the ratings of Chegg, Coursera, and Duolingo due to this risk. However, there is no mention of any extreme event or its impact.

Reported publicly: www.marketwatch.com