Can AI fix dating fatigue?

Or is it another gimmick behind a paywall?

Young Kim

and

Jieul Jang

Feb 25, 2025

Dating apps are struggling

They are losing paying users1:

Bumble: -57K (2%) in Q4 2024; expecting another -100K~120K in Q1 2025
Match Group (Tinder, Hinge, etc.): -1.3M (8%) vs. 16.5M peak in Q3 2022

Their stock price dropped (vs. peak):

Bumble: -93%
Match Group: -80%

Swipe fatigue is real

At its core, swipe fatigue isn’t just about too many choices—it’s about a system that prioritizes swiping over meaningful connections.

Users also feel burned out from ghosting, rejection, and a lack of real relationship success.

Can AI be the answer to reinvigorate dating apps?
Or is it just another monetization strategy?

Where AI shines💖–
Behavioral moderation & scam detection

Major services like Hinge, Tinder, and Bumble use AI for:

Content Moderation: AI flags potentially harmful or abusive messages and prompts users to reconsider before sending.
Scam Detection: AI analyzes behavioral patterns to identify romance scams and suspicious profiles.

The potential risk zone🚨–
AI matchmaking assistant

AI is reshaping how users present themselves and connect.

Profile Optimization: AI coaches users on improving their profiles and photo selections.
AI Intermediaries: AI serves as an agent, filtering matches and guiding conversations.
Personalized Recommendation: AI curates potential matches based on user behaviors and preferences.

Here are the recent moves by major apps in adopting AI features.

Hinge—AI as a personal coach

AI provides feedback and coaches users to improve their prompt answers. (Live)

UX Strategy: Nudge users to provide more detailed responses based on their initial inputs, helping them showcase their personality without controlling their voice.
Potential Drawback: AI-guided answers may become more specific, but not necessarily more authentic—90% of users admit to lying on their profiles.2

Tinder—AI matchmaking

AI curates personalized recommendations, offering users an alternative to the traditional swipe system. (Planned)

UX Strategy: Reduce swipe fatigue by helping users find best matches more efficiently, shifting focus from quantity to quality.
Potential Drawback: While AI-curated recommendations aim to reduce swipe fatigue, users may question how different it truly is from the existing swipe algorithm.

Bumble—AI Concierge️

The AI concierge could interact with other user's AI concierges to evaluate compatibility, narrowing down potential matches. (Announced)

UX Strategy: Save users time and emotional energy by filtering out less compatible matches, allowing for more focused and meaningful interactions.
Potential Drawbacks: Over-automation may raise concerns about authenticity, user privacy, and risk creating a dehumanized dating experience.

Grindr—AI Wingman

AI Wingman chatbot assists users in crafting messages and suggesting date ideas. (Testing)3

UX Strategy: Empower users to navigate conversations more confidently by alleviating the complexities of online dating.
Potential Drawback: For a platform serving the LGBTQ+ community, AI access to personal conversations raises serious privacy concerns, including risks of outing and data misuse.

But here’s the tension

Many users were already using AI tools to tweak photos and bios before dating apps integrated them. For some, it’s harmless “digital makeup.” For others, it blurs the line between curation and deception.

But AI dating agents push this even further—raising concerns about dehumanized connections and making dating feel more like a simulation than reality. It’s a slippery slope that edges closer to Black Mirror territory.

UX lessons from AI-powered dating apps

Balance assistance & authenticity: AI should enhance user decisions, not replace genuine connections.
Privacy vs. Personalization: Transparent data collection practices and user control matter, especially in intimate and private products.
Don’t ignore the “Real Life” factor: Digital experiences shouldn’t widen the gap between online behavior and real-world outcomes.