Nearly half of U.S. singles have a negative view of artificial intelligence being used in romantic contexts, according to a new survey from Match Group, the parent company of Tinder, Hinge, and OkCupid. The survey of 1,000 people aged 18 to 39 found that 47% of respondents hold a negative opinion of AI in dating, even as the industry rapidly experiments with new AI-powered features.
What singles dislike about AI in dating
The survey reveals that opposition to AI is not absolute but depends heavily on how it is applied. About 40% of singles said they would refuse to date someone who uses an AI companion app, a figure that rises to 51% among women aged 18 to 24. However, only 12% of respondents in that age group reported having used a companion app in the past three months, and only about a third of those users said they were seeking genuine connections with chatbots.
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Match Group noted a “near-universal” disapproval of the idea of actually dating an AI, similar to the premise of the film “Her.” But the company emphasized that this does not mean users reject all AI features.
The features users actually want
While the headline finding points to skepticism, 64% of respondents said they could see how AI might help them in their dating journey. The key distinction, according to Match, is that users want AI to assist with logistical tasks—not replace human interaction. Features like profile optimization, photo selection, and conversation prompts are seen as acceptable uses.
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“Ask singles what they want from AI in dating, and the answer is pretty consistent: help with the hard parts, but hands off for the human parts,” Match wrote in a blog post accompanying the survey. “Yes, they’ll use it to help them punch up a profile or for help figuring out what to say when a conversation goes quiet, but the actual connection is still theirs to create.”
Dating apps across the industry are already investing heavily in these tools. Bumble introduced a dating assistant named Bee, while Tinder has slowed its hiring to allocate more resources to AI development. Hinge’s former CEO stepped down last year to launch a more AI-focused dating app.
Where the industry may be overstepping
The survey results serve as a cautionary note for dating app developers who may be pushing AI too far. Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd recently suggested a future where dating app users could have personal bots that date other users’ bots—a concept the survey data suggests would be deeply unpopular.
Match Group’s findings indicate that while meeting a partner online has become socially normal, the idea of “his bot asked my bot out” is unlikely to gain acceptance. The message from singles is clear: AI can help with the mechanics of dating, but the emotional connection must remain human.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Match Group survey ask about AI in dating?
The survey polled 1,000 US singles aged 18 to 39 about their views on AI features in dating apps, including profile improvement, conversation help, and the use of AI companion apps.
How many singles would refuse to date someone who uses an AI companion app?
About 40% of singles said they would refuse to date someone who uses an AI companion app, with that figure rising to 51% among women aged 18 to 24.
What AI features do dating app users actually want?
Users generally want AI to help with the ‘hard parts’ of dating, such as writing a better profile or suggesting what to say when a conversation stalls, but they want the actual human connection to remain untouched by automation.
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