Will AI change the future of dating apps?

In the past year, more and more users seem to have fallen out of love with dating apps: a downfall documented by a report. Ofcom shows a significant decline in the use of dating applications between 2023 and 2024, with an almost 16% decrease in the usage of the 10 most popular dating apps (with Tinder and Hinge among the most affected) compared to the previous year. According to the findings, one factor contributing to the decline of online dating could be a sense of detachment from reality, as apps originally designed for real life now seem to resemble slot machines with subscriptions. Added to this is the fatigue from endless swiping in search of the ideal partner, along with the ideological and social crisis of hookup culture, which has also led to friction on social media from increasingly disillusioned users. And precisely as a response to this dating fatigue, alternatives have emerged, such as Bored of Dating Apps, which organizes themed events for singles who prefer to meet in person, or Agape, where those interested in finding a soulmate sign up for a database, placing trust in expert matchmakers, returning to a format similar to a dating agency. Another option is to leverage the convenience of an app while aiming to get people to meet in real life as soon as possible: Breeze, for example, simplifies the initial stage of endless messaging. Acknowledging this, the biggest companies in the industry want to make the app experience smoother by relying on a special tool: AI.

Implementing machine learning functionalities is a priority, for example, for Grindr (an app primarily targeting an LGBTQ+ audience), whose CEO, George Arison, sees AI as a tool that can facilitate the search for people worth starting a conversation with, providing personalized advice and even suggesting date locations. Its chatbot, Wingman, is currently being tested for a limited number of users. Grindr is not the only app moving in this direction, as since OpenAI launched ChatGPT in 2022, the race for generative AI has intensified. By the end of 2023, Hinge CEO Justin McLeod had already stated that «AI will not be a panacea for the complex and personal problem of love» but «it will certainly transform the dating app experience».

It is no coincidence that among all, Match Group (a company that owns a vast portfolio of apps, including OkCupid, Tinder, Hinge, Meetic) has announced an increase in investments in artificial intelligence, with the launch of new products. "Artificial intelligence can extract a lot of information from other users' profiles and offer suggestions to improve both the matching phase and the post-match phase. This results in greater efficiency: less effort and better results," commented President Gary Swidler in The Guardian. For Tinder's relaunch, an AI assistant will carry out key dating-related activities, such as selecting profile photos that, according to its calculations, will get the most responses and suggesting phrases and information to include in the bio. The AI will conduct a voice interview with the user to understand what they are looking for in their dating experience and will suggest which messages to send to matches based on common interests. However, one might wonder whether users will be interested in having an AI interrogate them and whether this will actually lighten the experience or, on the contrary, make it more burdensome.

Beyond the most well-known applications, there are also tools for detecting compatibility based almost entirely on AI. The Rizz app helps users by suggesting responses to conversations on various existing dating platforms. There is even a recommendation platform called Pookie Tools, which features functions like a "flirt meter," a height detector, and a baldness predictor. Regarding these solutions, there is some skepticism, particularly due to privacy concerns: questions arise about whether these companies can protect the vast amounts of data they collect and use to train their algorithms. Further concerns arise regarding the significant change that machine learning could bring to user interactions. According to Anastasiia Babash, a member of the international project Ethical Dating Online, the increasing use of AI in dating could reduce people's ability to interact without it. "There is a risk that users relying on AI for their love life will become increasingly dependent on technology, reducing their autonomy. If people start delegating AI to manage conversations with potential partners, they may lose the ability to hold real and spontaneous conversations, making it harder to build authentic connections."

From the users' perspective, the situation remains quite varied, but most express dissatisfaction with the widespread presence of AI in dating apps, worried that these tools make interactions less genuine. Platforms like Match Box, which organize parties for meeting soulmates (with a questionnaire at the entrance to facilitate matching), have gone viral on TikTok, suggesting that the future of romantic relationships will be a balance between online and offline. Further evidence comes from single-run clubs organized on Lunge, where people bond over a shared interest in fitness. In this context, Faye Iosotaluno, CEO of Tinder, stated that the company is taking a cautious approach to using AI for data management but is determined to bring this technology into the mainstream to save dating apps. The future of dating, therefore, remains to be seen.