Grindr Attempts to Build First Generative AI Dating Wingman

Grindr is developing an AI-powered “wingman” to assist its nearly 14 million users in finding long-term relationship prospects, managing conversations, and setting up dates. Expected to be fully functional by 2027 and having been floated as an idea for quite a while now, the AI bot will act like a chatbot, helping users track interactions with their favorite matches, recommend dating spots, and even coordinate dates autonomously.

The wingman will be tested by a small group of users this year, expanding to 10,000 testers in 2025. Future AI features could include bot-to-bot conversations between wingmen, allowing users to enter dates with more insight into their potential partners. The AI will also have privacy safeguards, a critical focus for Grindr’s users, particularly those in countries where being LGBTQ+ is illegal or stigmatized.

Grindr CEO George Arison highlighted the potential of AI to improve the dating experience by saving time and detecting relationship deal-breakers early on. Additionally, the AI could offer mental health benefits by providing a platform for users to discuss loneliness and depression, issues prevalent in the LGBTQ+ community.

The project is being developed in partnership with AI company Ex-human, which trained the model on romantic conversations and is adapting it to include queer-specific language. As AI plays a bigger role in matchmaking, Grindr plans to gather feedback from users to refine its features while prioritizing user privacy and safety.