GDI London 2023 Roundup: Exploring AI & Safety with WebPurify

To highlight the insights shared at our recent conference in London, Global Dating Insights is proud to share a roundup of some of the event’s presentations.

In this article, we summarise the presention of Alexandra Popken, VP of Trust & Safety at WebPurify.

No business survives in the long term unless its customers trust its output.  So the revelation that more than 92 per cent of dating app users aged 35 – 44 feel that the use of AI impacts their trust in the platform should be concerning for all apps out there.

Alexandra Popken, VP of Trust and Safety at WebPurify shared that scary statistic with delegates at the GDI London conference last week.  Although the negative trust impact of AI rose above 90 per cent in that age group, it crossed 70 per cent across all age groups. What’s more, 45 per cent of all users do not feel equipped to detect fake profiles or information, and 70 per cent of them feel it is up to the platforms to do more to protect them.

But whereas the users view AI with suspicion, Popken argued generative AI also offered an opportunity to help make dating safe and more rewarding.

She explained how generative AI will exacerbate challenges in online dating, such as catfishing, scamming, grooming and malicious attacks, but also how the technology can be harnessed to combat these risks. “AI has been used for years as an effective arm of content moderation, and I believe generative AI has the potential to build trust if used safely and with users in mind.” She added that this includes making your business and users more aware and alert to the dangers.

“Regulators are looking at our space,” she said. “Compliance will become a big thing and you need to be ready.”

She urged delegates to invest in content moderation, educate and engage with their users, partner with their peers, and also set their own internal standards and principles.

Popken envisaged AI as a tool and an innovation opportunity for the industry, but the research shows that educating the user community to its benefits and risks is an important step on that journey.