AI Dating May Lead to Underprepared Matches, Expert Says
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into daily life, its influence on modern dating is drawing scrutiny. While AI tools promise efficiency, experts are questioning whether they enhance or hinder the human connection central to meaningful relationships.
Psychotherapist Dr. Akua Boateng warns that “the emotional intelligence and knowledge of self that we get from having to navigate conflict or negotiate love and friendship… can’t be done artificially.” She argues that bypassing these challenges in favor of efficiency may leave users emotionally unprepared for real-life relationships – in other words, AI might allow users to skip the natural development that struggling for a date leads to.
Dating app users appear to share some of these concerns. A 2023 Pew Research study found nearly half of users viewed their app experiences negatively, citing dissatisfaction with the swipe-based approach. AI may save time but risks reducing dating to a transactional process devoid of the spontaneity and intimacy that build strong connections – trading the swipe-based system for an AI-driven one, but not necessarily seeing any more success.
The rise of AI coincides with mounting concerns about loneliness and social isolation. In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy highlighted the dire health consequences of loneliness, linking it to increased risks of heart disease, stroke, and dementia. Similarly, the World Health Organization has declared loneliness a global public health concern.
AI has rapidly made its way into dating apps, offering features like automated conversation starters and even entire vetting processes. This also includes more technical uses, like Hinge using AI in its algorithm or gimmick uses like DOWN’s profile photo generator.
However, since AI is still in its infancy in many areas, it’s not clear exactly how many platforms will end up using it long-term – and depending on how it’s implemented, it could either be a flawless upside to an existing dating platform, or a trade-off that could lead to more matches with fewer learning experiences to prepare users.